The plains just outside of Axel were peaceful in the early afternoon, the rolling fields swaying gently in the breeze. The sky was clear and bright, bringing the perfect backdrop for what should have been a calm training session.

"WHAT KIND OF TRAINING COURSE IS THIS!?"

But for Kazuma Satou, this was nothing short of a nightmare.

"Come on, Kazuma, put some effort into it! You're supposed to be dodging, not screaming!"

Naruto grinned from a nearby tree, watching as his fellow Adventurer scrambled away from a pair of Giant Slimes, their bodies bouncing ominously as they chased after him.

With the help of Kiki's nature magic, the shinobi had been able to construct an obstacle course in the center of the plains.

Twisting walls of thick vines formed narrow pathways, while wooden platforms and rope bridges were suspended between towering trees grown overnight.

Naruto called it The Super Mini Forest of Death!

Kazuma vaulted over a fallen log, panting as he turned a furious glare at his so-called "friend".

"Where did these Slimes come from!?"

"Oh, yeah, I set up Storage Seals around the course. Step on the wrong spot, and… Surprise!"

Naruto made a "poof!" gesture with his hands for emphasis.

"This isn't training, it's attempted murder!"

Kazuma ducked as one of the Slimes lunged at him, barely missing his head as it crashed into a tree. The boy's face turned green as he watched the wood begin to dissolve before his very eyes.

These were low level monsters!? How was he even supposed to fight an enemy like this!?

"You'll be fine. A seasoned adventurer with many accomplishments under his belt should be able to handle them- no problem."

Naruto waved his hand dismissively when a shout came from below.

"Naruto! Naruto! Kazuma's looking pretty beat… M-maybe I should swap in?"

Darkness, who was hanging from the branch he was standing on, watched her party leader run for his life with envious eyes.

"No, you're still on your second set of pull-ups. How many ya got left?"

"F-forcing a woman to do one hundred pull-ups while wearing a full set of armor…"

"Hah!?"

"F-fifty more…!"

"Then get back to it! Pull yourself up like a One-Shot Bear is on the ground trying to grab your legs!"

Naruto barked and stomped on the tree branch, causing it to shake beneath him and threaten the female knight's grip. But she maintained her hold and started moving faster, albeit with ragged breaths.

"Ngh…! N-Naruto! What do I do!? Imagining a One-Shot Bear looking up at me with its beastly eyes is only making me want to let go!"

Darkness asked with a panicked(excited) expression, causing the boy to stumble.

"H-huh…? What are you imagining it's gonna do to you?"

Naruto looked down at the girl with a disdainful look, but he quickly shook his head. It was probably best that he didn't know.

"Never mind, just pretend you're trying to climb up here to protect your ally from a Silver Wolf or something."

"What!? Is it the Silver Wolf's mating season!?"

"H-how should I know!?"

As the blondes went back and forth, Megumin, Yunyun, and Aqua sat on a tarp that had been laid out at the base of the tree.

"How should I put this… Naruto's training style is a little…"

Megumin paused, searching for the right word as she chewed on a rice ball Naruto had made that morning.

"Completely insane? What kind of person thinks dumping monsters on their friend is normal training? And where's my training, huh? Shouldn't the goddess get special treatment?"

Aqua finished bluntly, sprawled out on the tarp with a lazy yawn.

"Y-you said you were just here for moral support…"

Yunyun pointed out timidly, nervously watching Kazuma dive behind a wall of vines as the Giant Slimes oozed after him.

"Moral support comes with snacks and compliments! Naruto forgot the compliments! After all the emotional turmoil he put me through last night, he's got a lot to make up for!"

Aqua huffed, kicking her feet dramatically.

'Last night…'

Yunyun's cheeks burned as she looked up at her party member, but quickly looked away when she felt Megumin's suspicious gaze.

"Anyways… Kazuma has been extra whiny lately. Maybe this is good for him. Builds character."

Megumin said with narrow eyes, then went back to watching the chaos unfold in Naruto's awesomely named obstacle course.

"I don't need character! I need a break!"

They all flinched as Kazuma let out a distant, agonized shout.

"No breaks until you clear the course! Come on, Kazuma! Channel your inner underdog story! Didn't you say you wanted to be a hero!?"

Naruto, hands on his hips, called back from his perch.

"S-stupid! Don't say that out loud!"

Kazuma's voice cracked from embarrassment, and his ears burned red as he felt the amused gazes of his party members.

"Puhehehe! What's this? The hikiNEET wants to be a hero even though he's forced to run away from a couple low level Slimes?"

Aqua cackled with her usual smugness, pointing dramatically at Kazuma as she mocked him from the comfort of the tarp.

'This bitch…! I'll make her suffer when I get out of here!'

Kazuma gritted his teeth, scanning the area as he zigzagged through the obstacle course. Wooden poles, rope swings, and traps were scattered everywhere. The course looked simple at first glance, as it was just a series of hurdles, balance beams, and climbing sections.

But Naruto, being Naruto, had booby-trapped the whole thing.

Every time Kazuma stepped in the wrong spot, a Storage Seal activated, summoning more trouble.

Slimes, Horned Rabbits, even the occasional Goblin had attacked him on sight.

When did the ninja have the time to gather all these monsters!?

But the worst part was, he couldn't even hide with Lurk! Every time he managed to get out of a monster's sight, Naruto would throw a rock where he was hiding, which would draw the enemy's attention.

"You bastard! I'm seriously going to die here!"

"I-if Kazuma falls, may I... may I finally take his place!?"

Darkness, still dangling from the branch, gasped between pull-ups.

"No! You're staying right there! Now gimme ten more!"

Naruto barked, and proceeded to mercilessly stomp on the tree branch some more.

"Ngh… yes… right away! Just... imagining being Kazuma… fleeing for my life... How enviable…!Although, this treatment isn't bad either…!"

The Crusader muttered between pants, her arms trembling from a mixture of fatigue and excitement.

Kazuma barely avoided stepping on another seal as he rolled behind a tree. He huffed and puffed, peeking around his hiding place as he caught his breath. He only had about three more seconds before Naruto would throw another rock and expose him-

There!

Hidden behind a wall of vines, he could see it, the final part of the course that would lead to his freedom!

Kazuma narrowed his eyes in determination. He could do this. All he had to do was-

Thump! Thump!

The two Giant Slimes from before blocked the exit from his view. At the same time, a rock bounced off the trunk of the tree he was hiding behind. The monsters immediately began to hop towards the noise.

"D-damn it! Alright, I'll give it my all you damned ninja!"

Kazuma roared and charged forward. A Horned Rabbit shot out from a nearby bush, the point of its natural weapon intent on impaling his chest. Luckily, Danger Sense had notified him of the monster's presence moments before, so the boy stopped and let the creature pass by him and lodge itself into a tree.

"Hah!"

Drawing his bow, Kazuma docked an arrow and aimed at the closest Slime. He had noticed this while running away, but the monsters had what appeared to be a little rock-like object floating around in their bodies. Such blaring weakness was common for this type of monster in fantasy games.

"Snipe!"

Kazuma loosed the arrow, watching as it passed cleanly through the Slime's gelatinous body and struck the rock-like object with a solid thud.

The monster shuddered as it lost the means of holding its form before bursting.

"Take that, you stupid Slime! Snipe!"

He cheered and loosed a second arrow, which resulted in another satisfying "pop!".

His route now cleared, Kazuma ran towards the exit like his life depended on it. He drew his pitifully named sword and hacked away at the vines, pushing his way through towards the light.

"I'm freeeeee!"

Kazuma shouted victoriously as the sun hit his skin once again. But his victory was short-lived as Naruto shouted from his perch.

"Congrats, Kazuma! You made it to the next phase!"

"...Eh?"

Opening his eyes, Kazuma found that he was standing in what appeared to be the center of a wheat field. The golden stalks swayed gently in the breeze, stretching endlessly in every direction beneath the warm afternoon sun.

For a brief moment, the peaceful scenery almost made him forget the nightmare of the obstacle course waiting just beyond the horizon.

The peace certainly didn't last long as a Carrot rounded a corner and flung itself at him.

"Wah!? W-what the hell is this!?"

"Hehe… I call this one: The Vegetable Maze of Doom! Good luck!"

Naruto gave a cheeky thumbs up, and the boy's response was an angry screech.

"C-can I go into the obstacle course now!?"

Darkness asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Sure… Knock yourself out."

The ninja nodded flatly, and the Crusader immediately let go of the branch. He then watched as she landed on the ground and took off running towards the entrance with a wild grin plastered across her face.

Hopping down from the tree, Naruto plopped onto the tarp next to Yunyun.

"Shouldn't you be watching Kazuma in case he gets overwhelmed by monsters?"

Megumin asked, raising an eyebrow as she popped the last bite of her snack into her mouth.

"Nah, Kiki's hiding in his shadow. She'll step in if things get too dangerous."

Naruto assured before taking a casual bite of a rice ball.

Honestly, this training was shaping up better than he expected. For all his whining and laziness, Kazuma actually handled himself pretty well when thrown into chaos. Under pressure, the guy had a weird talent for staying sharp and making it work.

Darkness, on the other hand...

"N-Naruto! The Horned Rabbits are trying to impale me! Ah, they gave up... B-but now the goblins are surrounding me! Those little fiends brought rope! Do they intend to drag me back to their lair and-hey! Where are you going!? Naruto! Why are all the monsters avoiding me!?"

From what Naruto could tell, the Horned Rabbits had given up after failing to pierce her armor, and even the goblins seemed to back off once they caught sight of the expression Darkness was making. Either they mistook her for an Orc... or simply decided she was too much trouble.

With no Slimes left for her to fight and no sign of the wheat maze entrance, Darkness eventually trudged back to the group looking thoroughly disappointed.

"Heh…"

"W-why did you smirk just now!?"

Her cheeks flushed as the ninja's quiet chuckle slipped out.

"I was just debating whether to call you Hardness or Orcness."

"!?"

"Hey! Take that somewhere else! You're gonna crush the snacks! The snacks!"

"Forget the snacks! Someone get me out of this nightmare!"

As the teary-eyed Darkness pounced on Naruto, Aqua leapt to her feet, flailing her arms in protest, all while Kazuma's desperate cries echoed from somewhere deep in the maze.

Megumin laughed at their antics, watching as Naruto wrestled to pry Darkness off his back while Aqua continued her tantrum over the endangered snacks. Kazuma's distant, hopeless shouting was just the cherry on top.

But as her gaze drifted across the group, something else caught her attention.

Yunyun was sitting quietly on the edge of the tarp, fiddling nervously with the hem of her skirt. Every so often, her eyes flickered toward Naruto, only to dart away moments later.

Megumin's laughter faded as she narrowed her crimson eyes.

"…Yunyun."

"Eh!? W-what is it!?"

Yunyun jolted like she'd been caught stealing snacks, whipping her head toward her fellow clansman.

Megumin leaned in closer, her expression growing sharp with suspicion.

"Why do you keep looking at Naruto like that? Don't tell me you're scheming something."

"N-No! I-I wasn't! I'm just… just… worried! Yes! About Kazuma-san! He's been training for a while now, s-so I was wondering if Naruto-san should give him a proper break is all!"

The awkward girl stammered.

"…Really?"

"Y-yes! Definitely! Absolutely nothing else to it!"

"Hmmm…"

Megumin slowly leaned back, her suspicion only growing as she watched the other party desperately avoid eye contact.

Suspicious…

"I'm never doing that training again!"

Kazuma complained as they made their way home from the bathhouse. To think Kiki had been with him that entire time! Why hadn't she stepped in earlier!? Did they enjoy watching him suffer!?

He could barely even feel his arms and legs…

"Also, why did those three get to sit around and eat snacks while I was fighting for my life!?"

"At least you got to fight some monsters…"

Darkness moped, her metal boots scraping against the ground as she walked with a dejected expression clouding her face.

"Don't worry, I'll catch some even stronger monsters for tomorrow's training session. Ones that won't run from even the hardest adventurers!"

Naruto declared proudly, only to narrowly avoid Darkness's gauntleted swipe aimed directly at his head.

"S-stop calling me hard! But… Since you seem to be so confident, I expect nothing less than true despair from tomorrow's challenge."

The female knight adopted a look of anticipation, her mind obviously going over the possible creatures the ninja would throw at them. Her gaze then shifted to Kiki, who walked calmly beside Naruto.

"I-I was wondering… if I manage to finish Naruto's challenge… c-could I get some pets as a reward, Kiki?"

The fox looked up at her for a moment, almost as if she were considering, but ultimately looked away indignantly.

"Ngh…! This rejection stings… But it's also not bad either…"

"Hey, Weirdness. I would appreciate it if you didn't look at my partner with that kind of expression. She's not thinking anything weird, is she, Kiki?"

Naruto said flatly while reaching out to the Kitsune, who readily hopped onto his shoulder.

'The Crusader's urges continue to baffle this one, mine master. But to answer your question, rejected mate, considering tomorrow's itinerary, this one cannot fathom the possibility of victory.'

"Wha-! I-I'm not…! Rejected mate!?"

Darkness's mind seemed to have been fried by Kiki's response as she sputtered nothing short of nonsense, and the fox's eyes glowed in amusement.

Naruto sighed, further adding to the noblewoman's embarrassment.

Kazuma's face paled at the idea of the training course becoming even more difficult.

"You people are insane... I'm taking the rest of the week off after this!"

"That's not something an underdog who wants to be a hero should be saying. Besides, my Explosion magic was absolutely essential in making sure no monster seals were left behind."

Megumin teased, causing the boy's face to heat up in embarrassment. Seeing as she'd won, the Crimson Demon let out a blissful sigh. Destroying those structures with such cool names… It felt wonderful.

Aqua let out a loud yawn.

"Ughhh... and I didn't even get any special treatment! I could've demanded snacks at Wiz's shop or be pampered at the Axis church, but noooo. I had to sit in the sun and watch Kazuma flop around like a wet fish."

"You did nothing but eat snacks!"

Kazuma snapped, shooting her an exhausted glare.

"I provided moral support! You should feel honored to be cheered on by a revered and beautiful goddess like me."

Aqua declared, placing a hand over her chest with smug pride.

Meanwhile, Yunyun trailed quietly at the back, her gaze lingering on Naruto as he led the group toward the mansion.

Every so often, her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, and she bit her lip in thought.

'Maybe… maybe tomorrow's training would be a good time to bring him something? Water? Snacks? …A towel?'

Something totally normal. Supportive. Not weird.

…Would it be weird?

They were friends, party members. It was only natural to show support during tough training, right?

And yet, ever since last night… Since Wiz's declaration to support her, her thoughts had been in complete disarray, caught in a swirling storm of hesitation and second-guessing.

She was lost in thought when Megumin suddenly leaned in close.

"You're doing it again."

"E-eh? D-doing what?"

Startled, Yunyun instinctively averted her gaze.

"You keep staring at Naruto. You're planning something, aren't you?"

"N-no! I-I was just... thinking about... um, the weather?"

"You're getting worse at lying, Yunyun. But just so you know, I'm at the point where I can confidently tell the boy I like that I like him."

Megumin snorted in amusement, puffing her chest out with pride as she boasted about her achievements.

Yunyun gaped at this revelation, but before she could muster a reply, Naruto glanced over his shoulder at them.

"You two okay back there?"

"Y-yes! Perfectly fine! Haha! Not plotting anything weird!"

Yunyun instantly straightened up, waving her hands frantically.

"...Okay."

The shinobi raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. Based on the flustered look on his party member's face, and the smug one plastered on Megumin's, it was pretty obvious that there was some teasing going on here.

He'd ask her about it later when they were alone.

Yunyun let out a sigh, but her relief was short-lived when she noticed the amused look Kiki was giving her from Naruto's shoulder.

'You're not reading my mind, are you… Kiki-san?'

'Fear not, party member. This one has been directed not to read the minds of mine master's comrades without permission.'

'But… You're reading my mind right now, aren't you?'

'...Heh.'

Kiki's foxy grin expanded before her gaze returned to the front.

What did that mean!?

While Yunyun spiraled into internal turmoil, Kazuma watched the exchange with a growing suspicion of his own.

"...Hey. Am I the only one not part of some weird side plot here?"

"You're part of the 'complaining and suffering NEET' plotline."

Aqua chimed in, patting his shoulder with a pitiful smile.

A tick-mark formed on Kazuma's forehead.

"What plotline are you on then, huh? Let me guess, the 'useless Arch Priest who contributes nothing but eating all the snacks' arc?"

"H-How dare you! I am a vital source of morale and divine presence! How else am I supposed to have the energy to revive your sorry butt on an empty stomach!?"

Aqua barked, but the boy rolled his eyes.

As the mansion came into view, Naruto stretched his arms above his head and sighed.

"All right, I'll get started on dinner. We're having Vegetable Stir-Fry and Horned Rabbit Stew!"

"W-wait… We're not seriously eating the monsters I killed during training, are we?"

Kazuma groaned. Normally, he wouldn't have a problem with that. He would eat the fried Toad meat after those subjugation quests.

But after surviving the nightmare known as the Vegetable Maze of Doom, the last thing he wanted was to see another carrot ever again, much less taste one.

"Of course! You worked hard slaying all those veggies, Kazuma. It's only natural you'd be rewarded by eating them. Ah, minus the Goblins. Even I have standards."

Naruto replied with a grin far too smug for Kazuma's liking.

Kiki, still perched on the ninja's shoulder, tilted her head.

'Shall this one assist with mine master's kitchen duties?'

"Oh yeah, that'd be great."

'Very well.'

With a puff of smoke, Kiki gracefully landed beside him in her demi-human form, now dressed in her usual pristine maid attire. The sudden transformation earned an impressed murmur from the group.

"I-I can help too! Aqua, do you still have that extra maid outfit!?"

Darkness blurted out, her cheeks already heating up.

"What is it with you and maid outfits? Do you actually want to wear cute clothes or something?"

Naruto asked with a deadpan stare.

Darkness froze, Vanir's humiliating revelations from the other day flashing through her mind like a nightmare. But this was a golden opportunity to get back at the ninja.

"T-that's…! I-I'm just following your example! Vanir said you like seeing us in maid uniforms, right? S-so naturally, I should uphold the current precedent!"

Naruto blinked, utterly failing to find the connection.

"…Huh? But why do you-"

"Suspicious! Darkness is being suspicious again! I bet she just wants to seduce Naruto with the maid outfit! Everyone knows that's one of his things!"

Aqua shouted while pointing an accusing finger at the female knight.

"I-I'm not being suspicious! T-this has nothing to do with seduction! It's about maintaining cohesion within the team! I-it's strategy!"

"I-I-I don't have a thing! Don't believe something that stupid masked devil says!"

Darkness and Naruto both choked.

"Ara ara, how bold of you, Darkness… But no! You can't have the outfit! I refuse to be an accomplice to your shameless homewrecking schemes!"

Aqua declared, then turned to Naruto with a knowing smirk.

"And really, Naruto, there's no need to be shy about it! The Axis Order shames no kink! As long as it's legal, we support all forms of love! Besides, it's obvious you became infatuated with maid outfits because I look so good in one."

Aqua finished her nonsense with a self-satisfied grin, completely convinced she was making perfect sense.

The two blondes were completely stunned.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure, Aqua… Vanir might have said that to mess with you. I mean, I can totally see that devil going that far just for a laugh. Right, Naruto?"

Kazuma turned to the shinobi for confirmation, only to find the whiskered teen averting his gaze.

…Wait, seriously?

"Hah! See? He admits I look the best in a maid outfit! Look at our little Naruto, acting so shy… Tell you what, since I'm in a pretty good mood now, I'll wear my maid outfit tonight and help you make dinner instead of Darkness or that Kitsune."

Aqua mused, shooting a teasing glance at Naruto, whose ears burned bright red.

"Mine master has left a compliment upon this one as well, Axis Cultist. Do not think you have won just because you were seen first."

Kiki replied smoothly, one hand covering her mouth in a polite gesture, though her foxy grin was impossible to miss.

Aqua clicked her tongue, her blue eyes locking onto Kiki's gleaming golden irises.

"So… You intend to get in my way again, huh? Figures. All foxes are rotten to the core!"

"Rotten? Nay. Merely superior. After all, this one can read his thoughts. What better servant is there than one who already knows her master's desires?"

"Tch. Big deal. I could resist Telepathy if I concentrated hard enough. Go on. Try it. I dare you."

The Arch Priest waved her hand dismissively, and the Kitsune's eyes flashed challengingly as she cast Telepathy toward Aqua, only for her brow to lift in mild surprise when the goddess's mind immediately became a static wall of nonsense.

"...She truly can."

"Hah! Of course I can! I am a goddess, after all! Be it Drain Touch, status effects, or Telepathy, I can resist them all! Which means… I am the greatest maid of them all!"

Aqua flipped her hair victoriously while gesturing to herself.

Kazuma dragged a hand down his face.

When did this turn into a competition over who was the best maid? Didn't that girl originally complain about having to wear that uniform?

Still, it was interesting that Aqua could actually resist Telepathy. Every now and then, she had these rare flashes of true divinity.

Darkness tried to insert herself in the competition.

"I-I could be the greatest slav-"

"Absolutely not." x2

"Ngh…!"

Aqua and Kiki both said in unison, and the instant rejection caused the Crusader to hug herself and moan.

The two then turned towards Naruto expectantly.

"So? Who is it, Naruto? The answer's obvious, though."

"This one wears the uniform of a servant most lavishly, no? Mine master?"

. . .

At this point, they had been standing in front of the mansion's gate for a few minutes. Naruto really wanted to just go inside and start cooking.

But what really did him in was when Yunyun meekly raised her hand.

"I-I would also like to help… If that's okay… B-but I don't know if I can wear a m-maid outfit…"

"N-no one's wearing a maid outfit, damn it! Kiki! Change into something else!"

Naruto slouched on the couch in front of the fireplace, arms draped over the backrest as he stared blankly into the flames. Kiki lay curled up in the corner, her tails tucked around her body like a fluffy shield. With them being at home, the fox was able to fully relax and leave her nune tails exposed..

Even though he hadn't done any of the training himself, he still felt completely drained.

'I was gonna make Luna a bowl of ramen tonight... but I don't have the energy anymore.'

Maybe tomorrow.

From the dining room, the muffled sounds of chatter and laughter drifted through the halls. Megumin had surprised everyone with sweets for dessert. Normally, Naruto might have been tempted to join in, but tonight... he just wasn't feeling it.

The peace was interrupted when Kiki's ears perked, her body tensing like a coiled spring.

A small blur of black darted into the room, padding softly across the floor.

"Oh, hey, Chomusuke. What's up?"

Naruto greeted lazily, not even bothering to sit up as the odd little cat approached. It was the first time the creature had ever come near him since he moved into the mansion. Not that he minded.

His history cats wasn't exactly the greatest.

'Mine master... Best keep your distance from that thing.'

Kiki had risen to her feet, standing protectively in the corner, her fur bristling as her narrowed eyes followed the feline's every move.

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What's your problem with Chomusuke, Kiki? Sure, it's kinda weird for a cat, and the name's a little..."

'That abomination does not belong in this world… It is unnatural. Foreign.'

"This little guy?"

With a shrug, he reached down and scooped Chomusuke into his arms.

The reaction was immediate.

Kiki let out a sharp yowl, nearly leaping onto the back of the couch as if the cat had grown fangs and declared war. Her fur puffed out dramatically, nine tails flicking anxiously.

Chomusuke, meanwhile, just tilted its head, staring up at the boy with unsettlingly round eyes.

"Heh… Were you worried about me, Chomusuke? Don't worry, I'm fine. In fact, I'm gonna work extra hard tomorrow-ouch!"

Naruto jerked his hand back, frowning at the fresh set of tiny claw marks now decorating his skin.

The cat gave a soft mew before hopping off his lap and sauntering out of the room.

"Hey, Megumin! Your cat just scratched me!"

"What did you do to Chomusuke!? The only person she's ever scratched was Aqua!"

A chair scraped back, and Megumin's voice rang out in alarm.

From the corner, Kiki growled lowly, the tips of her tails glowing like a brewing storm.

'Do not worry, mine master. This one shall eradicate that creature from existence.'

"N-no… You don't have to go that far."

Naruto said with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. But he was curious as to what the deal was.

Did Chomusuke decide it didn't like him after all? He would never understand cats.

Kiki's eyes remained fixed on the door where Chomusuke had vanished, as if expecting the cat to return at any moment for round two.

Naruto sighed and leaned his head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

"What do you have to be tired of? You're not the one who was running for his life today."

Kazuma entered the room and sat next to the shinobi with a thump.

"Ah, stop complaining you big baby. You'll be fine. You want to get stronger, right? Then put in the effort, and you'll meet your goals with hard work and guts."

Naruto replied with a halfhearted scoff.

"Again with the hard work and guts… Are you making fun of me? I don't know what this Konoha place is like, but back in Japan, we're all normal humans with normal human limitations. In fact, I can already feel my legs cramping up just from sitting down… I probably won't even be able to get up tomorrow."

Kazuma complained as he tried, and failed, to lift his foot off the floor.

"Yeah, yeah. Want me to carry you to bed, princess?"

"Please do. At this point, I'd accept."

Before Naruto could fire back, the soft padding of paws returned. Both boys turned their heads as Chomusuke reappeared, tail flicking lazily as she strolled right past Naruto without a second glance.

Then, she leapt gracefully into Kazuma's lap, curled up into a neat little ball, and promptly fell asleep.

Naruto stared, blinking slowly.

"...Really?"

"What can I say? Cats love me."

Kazuma smirked, carefully adjusting his sitting position so as not to disturb the feline.

"What gives? She just scratched me for no reason."

Naruto watched the cat as if waiting for it to turn on the guy like it did to him. But it never happened.

"Guess she's got good taste."

Kazuma stroked Chomusuke's fur like some smug villain petting his prize.

Although, it wasn't like this was much of a victory. Naruto was better at pretty much everything. The only advantages Kazuma had left were his Intelligence stat and, apparently, Chomusuke. Even their Luck stats were close, with Kazuma holding only a slight edge in that department.

"So, what are the odds I never move again and just live here with Chomusuke in peace while you maniacs train?"

"Actually... if you're that dead, I do have something that could help you recover from the course."

Naruto revealed with a cheeky grin. He was going to save this strategy for when the guy started kicking and screaming to stop training, but it seemed like Kazuma was already at his limits.

Narrowing his eyes, Kazuma studied his friend's expression. His nonsense radar was going off. Big time.

"...Help me how? Wait, hold on. What is this? Some kind of sketchy ninja ritual or something?"

"Why would I have a sketchy ninja ritual? Anyways, I picked up a skill back in the capital."

"Oh? From who?"

Kazuma's suspicion only deepened from the shinobi's response.

"Remember when Claire and I were training together in the mornings? After we finished, we visited someone and they taught me a certain recovery skill. Pretty useful for muscle fatigue, if I do say so myself. It was the only thing keeping Claire going when we were done. Or at least, that's what she told me."

Naruto explained with a sagely nod.

Kazuma eyed him warily, shifting under the now-purring Chomusuke.

"And it doesn't involve me getting punched, kicked, or electrocuted, right?"

"Nope. Totally painless."

"…Fine. I'm in. I already feel like death anyway."

Whatever this was all about, it couldn't be worse than that hellish training course. Plus, if this helped him recover, then he'd use his newfound strength to run away from home for a couple days.

A/N: Kazuma's training begins! Too bad for Darkness, though… She just can't get what she desires… But maybe that's a good thing?

Anyways, Yunyun is still conflicted, and it seems Megumin has caught on a little. But that Explosion girl just likes to make everything a competition, doesn't she?

Review and let me know what you all thought of the chapter~!

Spirit out.