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: 20 days until the hunt begins.
Our story continues below the surface, in an area that was likely to remain hidden from the eyes of the demons due to the complex path one had to take to reach such a place. The team had followed Wiz's directions as they descended a ruthless maze of tunnels that seemed to be made to guide enemies to an array of death ends and deadly traps.
It had taken them 2 hours, but after all the challenges, they had finally arrived at the doorstep of one of the only safe spots to rest in this part of the continent.
"And here we are, the gates of Gigas. We made good time to get here in barely 4 days." Wiz said as she approached the metallic doors that kept the underground settlement safe from most attacks.
The rest of the team seems in agreement as they are covered in dirt, guts, and sweat due to their constant fighting against monsters and the demon forces that continue to track their team.
"We made it here so fast, mostly thanks to flying most of the way here. Are you sure you're not tired after carrying two people alone, Kazuma?" Yunyun asks as she recalls how Kazuma offered to carry Darkness and Aqua while Yunyun carried Wiz and Megumin carried Irene with some difficulty.
Kazuma shakes his head before he cracks his neck. "It was more manageable thanks to Darkness taking her armor off and Aqua not panicking all the way here."
Darkness nods. "The armor would have gotten in the way. It is not as heavy as my previous armor, but not everyone has the benefits Yunyun gets with her shoes. Regardless of that, I'm more surprised about Megumin. I didn't think you had in you to carry Irene all on your own."
Megumin smiles proudly. "It wasn't a challenge. Irene is rather easy to lift up…. Are you eating enough?"
Irene looks away with a blushing expression. "I do eat….. I just watch my weight. I need to be mindful about my body, or I won't be able to fight at my best."
"... She's afraid of getting fat," Ciel reveals.
"Ciel!" Irene felt betrayed by her sword. The newbie adventurer started to shake the sword while the rest of the team had a small laugh over the antics between the sword and its owner.
"Anyways, let's go inside. I imagine all of you are dying for a bath. I will take care of buying the supplies while all of you take a bath." Kazuma said.
"Huh? You're not joining us?" Aqua asks as most of the team turns to face the reaper.
Kazuma shakes his head. "I can take a bath afterward. We can't waste time. We'll rest in Gigas for one night and leave by tomorrow. I want to reach the first dungeon as fast as possible. Time is against us, and we must make each minute count."
Everyone seemed to understand, as they didn't argue. Time was limited, and failing to reach their next target was unacceptable.
Knowing this, Wiz wastes no time as she presses a specific spot on the gates, which acts as a doorbell. It doesn't take even five seconds before a voice calls out from behind the door.
"Identify yourselves." The voice calls out.
"Black Dagger agents. Open the door." Wiz replies.
"Let me take a look at you, " The voice replies before a small opening opens, allowing the person to look. "Badge?"
Wiz shows the badge that sits on her coat. "I'm Wiz, part of a team hunting the demon lords. Let us in."
The eyes seemed shocked after hearing this. The opening is closed before the mechanisms of the door are activated.
Kazuma and the rest of the team watch as the large metallic doors separate from each other until they can see the splendor of a steampunk-influenced settlement. The town differed completely from Axel as the team saw technological advances all around.
"Come inside. We welcome your team to Gigas." A guard said as he stood to the side with a spear resting on his hand.
"Compared to Axel, this place has always been a rather unique town. It never ceases to amaze me how this is the only town that has such an aesthetic and technology that approaches the might of the Black Daggers." Yunyun said as the team went inside.
"You two visited this place before?" Kazuma asks.
Megumin nods. "A few times, but we never stayed for long. I wouldn't call it a great place for a base. It is hard to reach, and its location places it right in the middle of Demon territory. Axel is far more appealing, although it's far from the most challenging dungeons."
"In my case, this is a first for me. All of my previous teams preferred not to risk their lives by going so deep into demon territory. Getting to this place on my own was also out of the question so I'm glad to get the chance to see it with my own eyes." Darkness adds as the team takes a step into the town.
The town people initially turned their faces away from the team, but once they saw Wiz in uniform, their stances changed because of the trust they placed in the agents of the Black Daggers.
For a town so deep into enemy territory, the air was rather peaceful as people worked hard to forge weapons and armor for the adventurers and guards who protected the town.
"There's not many kids around… makes sense for such a place," Kazuma said as he observed his surroundings.
"Those who have kids have traveled far away from here to keep them safe, while those who stayed behind tend to send their children away to live with relatives. It is not a place for those who can't defend themselves. This town also supports the Black Daggers by forging components and items crucial for the organization's operations. Their work also supports adventurers who actively fight demons, which are few in number, but that will change as we take care of the demon lords." Wiz continues as she leads the team through the streets.
After a couple of minutes, the team reached the town's bathhouse.
Kazuma pulls out his bag before he presents the girls with several gold coins. "Here we break off. Enjoy your time, and we'll meet afterward. I'll find my way into the guild on my own after I finish taking care of our supplies. Let's meet there when all of you are ready." Kazuma said before he walked away with the golden orb remaining as his only companion.
"Alright, you heard our leader. Let's clean our bodies. The sweat and dirt are making it hard for me to sleep." Irene was the first to enter the bathhouse. Her face showed relief at the opportunity to wash away the dirt from every corner of her body.
"Can't argue with her about that. I'm starting to miss the dungeon, which allowed us to bathe after 10 waves." Darkness joins in.
Aqua nods. "Good times….. We won't find a situation like that ever again. We might have to go on without bathing for weeks."
Megumin raises her arm before she sniffs its scent. The scent is far from being flowers and fruits, as the constant fights they faced along the way didn't improve her scent or that of any other. "... We need to find a way to alleviate this crisis. Kazuma can't be allowed to learn that we smell bad."
Yunyun turns her eyes to Wiz. "Do you know any spell like that?"
Sadly, Wiz shakes her head. "We're going to have to learn with that. Perfume and other items can help to hide the scent but no spell can clean you up from all the dirt and monster guts. We can only hope and pray that our leader ignores our scents."
"No…. this is horrible….." All girls besides Wiz seemed in agreement as they cursed their luck.
No woman wanted to find themselves in such a shameful situation.
A couple of minutes later.
"Ah, this is amazing," Aqua said as she sank into the warm waters of the large wooden bath, which could hold up to three people. Alongside her were Darkness and Wiz.
"I know, right?" Irene asked as she did the same while sharing a separate wooden bath with Megumin and Yunyun.
"Adventuring can be terrible for any ladies due to the long periods without a proper shower or bath. When we get chances like this, everything else is worth it." Darkness expresses as she leans against the edge of the wooden structure.
"How does the arm feel after being used on so many monsters and demons?" Wiz asks as she observes the team's primary defensive member.
"Amazing. The harpoon has allowed me to bring targets closer and punish larger ones like never before. I feel far more complete with it, but I can't ignore the benefits of this 'railgun.' A weapon that can shoot projectiles of almost any kind so far and with such strength is beyond impressive. I can take down enemies before they see us, but the energy required for each shot is somewhat overwhelming. I would be drained of my magic if I were to fire the arm so regularly." Darkness admits.
Wiz nods. "That makes sense. It is a devastating module that was bound to require lots of magic. Its purpose is to deliver critical attacks on enemies. Use it when you see an opening to eliminate strong enemies like demon lords. A precise shot can be the thing necessary to finish a fight that had dragged for long enough."
Megumin seems to agree. "We can use all the spells we want, but that arm will prove helpful against enemies immune to magic attacks. We're bound to find those soon in our path, and although I hate them, we can't run away."
"Alright, less chatting about adventuring. We're in a bath; we should relax." Aqua argues as she closes her eyes and sinks into the waters.
The rest of the team smirked and shook their heads at their ally's antics, although she was right about enjoying the bath.
The girls settled for a few minutes until a new group entered the bath.
"Did you see him? A golden orb chases that creepy adventurer. I can't believe that he's a Black Dagger agent. He's as creepy as it comes." A feminine voice said.
Darkness, Megumin, and Yunyun froze up as they recognized the voice. Their faces twisted into expressions of disgust as the voice continued.
"Like, really, who would go around wearing such weird armor? Is he some reaper? Talk about a disgusting fellow." The voice said with sarcastic toner. "No woman would stay the night with a man like that. A man who respects himself wouldn't wander like that around the town. His scent will drive away even the insects hiding in the trash."
The female and her companions' laughter didn't help the situation, as Darkness and the others grew angrier with each insult as they connected the dots on who she was talking about.
Then it was finally Megumin who couldn't keep it under wraps anymore. The spellcaster grabbed a piece of soap close to her before she threw it with all her strength towards the head of the voice's source. It was a fast and precise throw worthy of a baseball player if baseball was even a thing in this world.
"Auch! Who threw this shit to me?" The female looks around until she locks eyes with Megumin and the others. "Oh, would you look at that? The Armless bitch, the Eyepatch brat, and the Minotaur-tits. I didn't expect to see you around after last time." A green-haired girl with a highly appealing body said as she grabbed the soap in her left hand. She was the same height as Darkness, and while the team's Fallen Knight was muscular, this female was thinner and sexier.
The perfect female to attract the attention of any male.
"Dahlia, The Thorny Temptress, I hope never to cross paths with you again." Darkness said as she cracked her knuckles.
Dahlia smirked as she faced Darkness alongside her teammates, five females of various bodybuilds.
The other females also stand up with angry expressions.
"Hey, whore you were talking shit about our leader, how dare you?" Megumin asks as she points her finger at Dahlia.
Dahlia's black eyes grow confused momentarily before she connects the dots. "That guy is your leader? I can't believe it! Where did you find him? A cemetery? He smelled like crap. Doesn't he care about his appearance? Maybe he fits a team like yours. Those who don't care to enjoy the delights of this world or care for their appearances are worthless before my eyes."
Aqua raises an eyebrow as her anger hits its limits, but Darkness approaches Dahlia before she can make a move.
"You have shit instead of a brain. Instead of stopping yourself from digging your own grave much deeper, you test the waters. Let me make sure that your face never gets to smile like this again." Darkness aims as she puts all her strength into a single devastating punch.
Dahlia's smile disappears as she senses the killing intent behind the punch. Her body freezes, although her mind tells her to evade the punch.
It was meant to kill, as Darkness didn't hold back, but a voice stopped the tragedy before the punch connected.
"Stop! There's a no-violence rule in Gigas. If you do this, we'll be in trouble. Don't let your anger get the best of you, Darkness." Wiz says, although her expression doesn't look much better than the rest of the team's.
Even Irene was angry that someone who didn't know how many challenges they had faced dared speak badly about a team member.
"... You're lucky, but if I hear you speaking shit about our leader, I will erase that smile from your stupid face." Darkness pulls her relic arm back before she turns around and returns to her teammates.
Dahlia bites her lower lip in anger before opening her mouth again. "A muscle head like you won't change. Do you think you're better because of your strength? You're nothing but an armless bit-"
Before Dahlia could continue with her rant, Yunyun put an end to it as she lifted her hand and used an ice spell against Dahlia and her team. The group was trapped in blocks of ice in a matter of seconds. "I might not have my weapon, but magic like this should be enough for people like her. Goddess, why did we have to meet her here of all places?"
Megumin shakes her head. "Your guess is as good as mine."
"So, who is this disgusting female?" Aqua asks.
Darkness jumps back into the bath. "Dahlia, The Thorny Temptress, a B-ranked adventurer known for her successful monster capture skills and fame as a…. Whore. She likes to play with male adventurers and more than once, she has led a team to breaking up. We had the displeasure of participating in a quest with her before. The quest was successful, but the team didn't last because she enjoyed toying with our teammates and causing chaos."
"She doesn't enjoy when other adventurers don't share her views. Dahlia said that females should experience as many males as possible to enjoy the delights of life. I wouldn't be surprised if more than one child in orphanages across the continent is hers." Megumin adds before she faces Yunyun. "How long will the ice take to melt?"
Yunyun glances at the ice. "20 to 30 minutes. It is far from a proper spell, but it does its function really well. Any arguments against spells such as this, Wiz?"
Wiz shakes her head. "If she continued, I would have used one of my own spells against her. I don't enjoy people with her attitude. One shouldn't judge others based on how they look."
Irene nods along. "Especially not someone who has consistently slayed demon forces each night since we started this trip. They have been restless with their attacks…. Kazuma also took it upon himself to care for them on his own for the past 2 nights. I wonder… how he does it? How can one person push their body so hard with limited sleep?"
Aqua grows silent as she recalls how normal it was for Kazuma to work seven days with little to no time to rest in between. "He…. Kazuma has experience with such a condition. The vessel he is using also allows him to do such actions. As long as he has the will to fight, that body won't stop moving."
Darkness, Megumin, and Yunyun recalled the event in the dungeon. The trio wondered how far Kazuma could go with his unbreakable will and how many injuries he could ignore to achieve his goals.
Their imaginations tried to visualize such possibilities, and none brought them joy.
"Motion to drag him to the bath with us next time we decide to take one?"
"I agree." Yunyun
"Me too." Megumin
"I also agree." Aqua
"It might be for the best." Wiz
Their heads turn to face Irene.
"... You really want me to agreed to shared a bath with him?" Irene asks. "We're females, unless we're married we shouldn't share a bath with someone with the other gender."
"We can cover his eyes. We'll ensure he doesn't see your naked body." Darkness says.
"I might have a tool that can help with that." Wiz joins in.
Irene turns to face Wiz. "Why are you fine with this? He's a male who isn't your husband. Then I get it because they are used to it."
Wiz chuckles. "When you're part of a team, things such as this become the norm. One must be ready to trust their teammates even if it involves shameful situations and he already saw me without clothes on. I have nothing to hide from Kazuma so I'll face it the shame head on." Her face showed a light shade of pink as she spoke.
"... If he looks at me with lustful eyes, I will cut his eyes off." Irene declares with a blushing expression.
Later that night.
"Is this really necessary? Was there no other way?" Irene asks with an ashamed expression as she tries to cover her body while wearing a nightgown.
"There were no more rooms in the inn. Be grateful to the mere fact that we got a room with three beds." Darkness said as she got in bed with Aqua.
"Come on, Irene. Let it go. Kazuma is not even sharing a bed with you. He didn't want any of us to sleep on the floor or the armchair over there." Yunyun said as she pointed her finger at the brown chair which rests against a wall near the window where Kazuma sits in while his eyes are closed.
Kazuma was already snoring as his breathing seemed calm but his scythe still sat right by his side as if he couldn't be too cautious.
The golden orb was also resting on his lap, which it shared with Chomusuke. The reaper was wearing dark pajamas as he continued to rest without any worries.
"Come along, Irene. It is already late, and even Kazuma has gone to sleep. It has been a long day, and we all required some rest." Wiz started to push the girl into bed before everyone settled for the night.
"But-" Irene was interrupted.
"Go to sleep. We have to continue moving to our next objective by tomorrow. Sleep, and don't worry about Kazuma. He's already asleep, and if something were to happen, I would know about it," Ciel said as it rested near a wall.
"..." Irene looks at Kazuma again, expecting a reaction, but the reaper is already in the arms of a Morpheus. "Alright, I'll do it."
"Great, I'm turning the lights off," Wiz says before she approaches a small crystal and deactivates the machine, forcing it to emit light.
Soon after, the entire room became dark, with the weak light from outside acting as the only light source. All of Gigas seemed to agree to a certain time for going to bed as businesses, including taverns, shut down.
The entire town seemed to quiet down as nobody seemed active.
Irene remained awake for a couple of minutes until sleep finally took over. Wiz's warm embrace, combined with the softness of the pillows, allowed her to finally close her eyes.
Everything seemed finally at peace…. Or did it?
Kazuma POV.
He felt tired and exhausted as he sank into Moprheus's embrace. The pain, the anxiousness, the exhaustion—everything disappeared as he sank deeper into the ocean that was his dreams.
But then, something pulled him back. A sensation that he had grown accustomed to all too well. His vessel knew how to react to danger, and he wouldn't ignore it.
His eyes opened with the typical dark shade they had acquired since all of this began. Chomusuke's ears popped up as if they also seemed to detect something wrong.
"Incoming enemies…. They are likely adventurers with a grudge…. Do you wish me to inform the team, Kazuma?" Ciel asks.
Kazuma looked at his teammates. "No, let them sleep. I will take care of this as silently as possible." Chomusuke jumped off while the others started to levitate around the room.
The reaper doesn't even change his clothes as he stands up and approaches the door without making a single sound while his scythe remains on its spot. Once outside, his eyes adjust to the pitch darkness of the hall in which their room was located.
Due to this, his eyes detected at least 17 figures holding weapons while a single female figure stood in the back with a smiling expression as the head behind all of it.
"Oh, the leader sensed us? Take care of him. I want those bitches to taste the worse of fates." Dahlia said as a small lantern illuminated some of the areas. The smile on her face quickly disappeared as she saw Kazuma's dark eyes. "Those aren't normal."
The reaper wasted no time in acting as his body moved like that of a predator on the hunt to neutralize anyone on his path. His attacks weren't lethal, but their intent was clear as each one targeted areas such as the neck or main joints of each adventurer, who fell one after the other as Kazuma gave them no time to react. Some even had their arms dislocated or their bones snapped in half due to the tremendous strength behind each blow.
Man or woman, it didn't matter; Kazuma offered no restraint against anyone who threatened his team's safety.
Dahlia watched in fear as Kazuma picked up a man who was twice his size by the neck before he slammed his face into the wooden floor. Before her eyes, Kazuma's appearance didn't seem to match the strength that his body was capable of. "Impossible. He is just a creepy-looking guy. He shouldn't have such strength."
Kazuma turned his attention to Dahlia, who began to step back as she tried to make sense of what she had seen. The reaper uses his dark element to form a small scythe, which he places right next to Dahlia's neck. "I don't know who you are, and I don't care to know, but if you dare to come close to us ever again, I will take your head. Am I understood?"
Dahlia gulps. Fear takes over as yellowish liquid drips into the floor from her lower parts.
"AM I UNDERSTOOD?" His tone grows colder as he presses the blade much harder than before.
"Yes! Please don't kill me. You won't see me around again." Dahlia says as she feels the first few drops of blood running down her neck. Kazuma wasn't playing, and she knew better than to test her luck against someone with eyes as dark as the deepest of voids.
"Good. Now clean this out and leave us. I will finish the job if I see you or any of them again near them." Kazuma turns around and goes back to the room without another word.
The defeated adventurers who were still conscious silently cried as they remained motionless so as not to incite Kazuma's anger.
As he closes the door behind himself, the reaper goes back to his spot with the same carefulness as before. After he sits down, Chomusuke and the orb recover their spot within his lap before Kazuma closes his eyes again.
"Finally…. I can rest…."
The reaper settled and allowed Morpheus to drag him back to its embrace.
Unknown to him, Irene and the others were all awake, but not one dared to make a move as they reconfirmed the determination of the reaper.
He had protected them once more, and that was something neither could deny.
That night, everyone got a good night's rest, and more than one started to see Kazuma differently.