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 group descended inside the elevator silently. Darkness held Kazuma's hand while Aqua and the others threw daggers at the reaper as if he were some kind of pervert.
The reaper curses his luck as he finds himself between the blade and the wall. "... I take the blame for it. Can we move on from this?"
Megumin glares at him. "Sorry? You wanted to get it on with her, didn't you?"
"Kazuma, I didn't expect you to be so lustful as to fall for the charms of Darkness." Yunyun joins in.
"I thought you said you didn't have time for relationships," Aqua says.
Kazuma sighs as he sees no way out.
"And how does that affect any of you? Don't tell me now that all of you are jealous of my connection with him?" Darkness asks.
"You…" Megumin and the others blush as they have zero comeback after such a question.
"See. Don't worry about it, Kazuma. They will let it go since they don't have the guts to answer such a simple question." Darkness says before she turns her attention to Chris. "We have other things to discuss that are far more important than what Kazuma and I do in our private time."
"Oh, so we're finally acknowledging the real issue. I thought we were going to keep playing like kids." Irene joins the conversation with visible annoyance at the love affairs of the team. "Chris, the reaper, seemed to have met Rephilis in his dreams."
Megumin and Yunyun switch gears as they turn to Kazuma with curiosity and fear.
Kazuma nods. "I… met him within my dreams. He was trying to recruit me."
"... I know. We can discuss this in my office. I want to know everything from your mouth instead of someone else." Chris says as she faces the reaper.
Irene, Megumin, and Yunyun seemed surprised by the answer, but neither dared question her sources because they feared Chris's authority. She was someone none of them wanted to doubt or disrespect under any circumstances.
Kazuma nods before his eyes glance at Aqua. The dark priestess bit her lower lip while looking anxious about everything related to the demon lord. "Aqua… I don't plan on betraying you."
"We also need to discuss Kazuma's identity. I don't think this team should be in the dark about such an important fact." Irene adds.
Kazuma felt the gaze of Megumin and Yunyun digging holes into his chest as the curiosity of the spell casters rose to the top. "We can talk about it when we get there."
That seems to appease them as they look away.
"Chris, can I ask one more thing?" Darkness asks as she turns her attention to the masked leader of the organization.
"Go ahead," Chris replies.
"Is Wiz in the base? I'm looking to meet her." Darkness says.
"Oh, she's a day away from the base. Wiz should arrive by tomorrow morning. You will get your chance to meet with her, so be at ease. I don't think your team will depart any time soon." Chris explains.
Not even a second later, the elevator reached the lower floor of the base. As soon as the doors opened, the team was met with a sight that was incomparable to the current world at the surface.
Tall white pillars were the main supports of a bustling, tiny futuristic town where underground plants covered most walls of many of the buildings, with a large underground lake sitting right in the middle of the city. Several large crystals sat right on top of the base, while several metal claws held in place as some kind of artificial sun that they could switch on and off as necessary.
"Welcome to our base, Kazuma, Darkness. This is Nest-07—the main base of the Black Daggers. Enjoy your time, but do respect the boundaries of my agents. I have zero acceptance for violence between agents, so be respectful with everyone." Chris informs them as she exits the elevator.
"Is good to be back home," Rust says as he finally removes his mask before he exits the elevator alongside the rest of the team and his scaly companion. His face was appealing to most, but a large scar across his nose alluded to a traumatic event in his younger days. "Enjoy your time. I'll be around until I get a new mission, Kazuma. Look for me around the sector close to the cages."
The team watches as Rust walks away, followed by his wyvern companion.
"Follow me. We'll have a small tour for now. After our discussion, you'll get as much free time to explore the base." Chris said as she started to lead the team towards her home.
"You created all this?" Darkness asks as she walks behind Chris.
Chris chuckles. "We created all this. Black Daggers have existed for longer than you can't imagine. We learned from each civilization that came before. We obtain many relics from civilizations that the surface doesn't even remember. While the world upstairs changes as new kingdoms rise and fall, the Black Daggers remain as we live in the shadows while only interfering as necessary."
The girls (excluding Aqua) within the group became curious about all they heard as Chris talked in a way that seemed to allude to her being far older than she appeared, but none dared ask. Something in the back of their mind told them that such questions shouldn't be asked.
"Amazing," Kazuma told himself, examining every detail he could.
As they reached the city, they were met by an arrangement of races and agents who seemed to live in peace away from the claws of the ever-changing world upstairs. Kids walked around wearing miniature versions of the uniforms their parents used.
"Are children allowed to participate in missions?" Kazuma asked.
"No, but those agents that raise their families inside the base understand the need to teach their children the ways of the Black Daggers. My agents can choose where to raise their children, but most do it here instead of upstairs. Children get their education and training while having time to rest and be kids. Once they reach the age of 14 or 15, they can become full agents or leave to the surface." Chris explains.
"No civilians are allowed?" Darkness asks.
"Everyone, even those that aren't active, are agents of the organization. Once an agent, always an agent. Few kids leave the path they started on; if they do, we must let them go. There are cases in which, years later, those same kids do find their way back, and we embrace them with open arms after we verify their allegiance. You likely meet many adventurers who were part of the organization without knowing it." Chris reveals as she guides them through the busy streets of the base.
Some agents looked nothing different than civilians as they took care of their stores or businesses, but once they locked eyes with Chris, their faces changed into those of soldiers who showed respect to their leader.
"Their allegiance to you seems unshakable. They created space as we walked; some even saluted you without a second thought before returning to business as usual. It likely didn't happen overnight." Kazuma infers as he continues to observe his surroundings.
"I've been by their side since the beginning. I walked the path alongside them and never walked away from them. I'm their leader, sister, and grandma, someone they respect and cherish as I do everything to ensure their safety. I could only do all this because they trusted me, their ancestors followed me, and I proved to them that I was serious about my mission. They have no reason to doubt my intentions even if I never showed them my face." Chris says.
"Believing in a name and the actions behind it instead of a recognizable face is almost impossible, but I guess you did it. I never knew someone who could hide in the shadows while gaining such support and devotion." Kazuma says.
Aqua seemed to agree with his statement as she took time to reflect on everything she had learned.
The group continued walking forward until they reached a three-level building that seemed tiny compared to the others. Once inside, they were met with agents who guarded the path forward like bodyguards. Six of the strongest-looking agents stood in silence while they examined each of Kazuma's team members.
"Relax. They won't do anything to you," Chris said, motioning with her hand to the agents to rest and not worry about Kazuma or the others.
The agents nod as they relax.
"Why the need for guards?" Kazuma asks with curiosity.
"I don't enjoy visits while resting; I also need some privacy. People used to enter my office without presenting themselves at any time, and in one case, a few youngsters had the bright idea of stealing things from my office after curiosity got the best of them. It was nothing serious, but I saw the need to protect my office afterward. I told the older agents that they didn't need to guard my building at all hours, but they saw it as necessary." Chirs admits as they enter the elevator. "They move into the second floor and usually guard the first floor in turns. My office/private chamber has security methods installed, but they still guard the first floor. I resigned myself to it, but I enjoy the extra privacy."
"So you have an entire building for yourself?" Darkness asks.
Chris shakes herself. "Other agents live on the second and first floor, but the third floor is mine. I'm willing to offer Kazuma and all of you a room if you find that you want to live here."
Kazuma waves his hand. "I appreciate the offer, but I do like the surface. I already have a new reason to go back to Axel."
"Oh, is someone getting attached to the little girl that calls him big brother? We could adopt her if you stay with me." Darkness says as her eyes shine with high hopes.
The elevator doors close as the group begins to ascend at a slow speed. Silence reigns until Aqua breaks the silence.
"Big brother?" Aqua looks confused as she faces the reaper.
"They have been hanging out with an orphan named Coral. Coral calls Kazuma Big Brother, and she addresses Darkness by the title of Ms. Darkness. She seems to have grown attached to Kazuma." Irene adds with a tired expression. "It almost seemed like they were a young couple with Coral as their child."
Aqua, Megumin, and Yunyun's head turn to face Darkness, who seems extremely happy after Irene's commentary.
"Stop with the daydreaming, Darkness. You're being too annoying for my taste." Megumin replies before she faces Irene. "You are the girl Chris talked about. We won't like each other if you continue adding wood to the flames. We don't need someone else supporting Darkness antics within the team."
"Supporting her? I'm not supporting Darkness. If anything, I have gotten tired of their constant closeness. Darkness constantly touches and charms him into situations that no unmarried couple should be in. It is like she had all those desires piled up for years, and now they are running wild with Kazuma. I never expected someone from her family to be so… lustful." Irene says as she points her finger at Darkness.
Darkness whistles as she tries to look away. "I mean, I had to use my time alone with him to my advantage. I like him, and you know… if you like someone, you do those things with them."
Aqua loses it after this as she grabs hold of Kazuma and pulls him away from Darkness. "No more alone time between you two. This is getting out of hand. I won't accept anymore of these lustful acts before my eyes."
Darkness raises her hand. "Alright, I get it, but can I ask a question?"
"What?" Aqua asks while still holding Kazuma close to her.
"As long as we're not in front of you, it won't matter to you, right?" Darkness continues.
The faces of Aqua and the others turn red at the bluntness of Darkness. Her words incited anger in the rest of the team as she didn't shy away from her wishes.
She was being true to her feelings, and that angered the others.
"I won't allow you to get him," Aqua replies with visible anger as she holds Kazuma as if he were hers.
"He's not yours to do as you please." Megumin thought as she placed herself between Darkness and Aqua alongside Yunyun.
Kazuma, after seeing this and not enjoying the chaos for much longer, pulls free from Aqua's grab. "We're stopping this right now! Everyone on the team is an adult, and if someone has an issue with what Darkness and I are doing, we'll find private time for ourselves, but nobody gets to tell me or her what we can do. Everyone is free to do as they please as long as it is not interfering with our missions. Am I being clear?"
The girls on the team are shocked by his tone; even Darkness is taken by his expression, which demonstrates that he is not playing anymore.
"... but she-" Aqua stops herself as Kazuma glares at her.
"You're not a child." Kazuma turns to the others. "None of you are, so stop this mess. I'm not playing around. I know what I said… I admit my fault, but whatever happens, is mine and her decision. If it displeases any of you, I assure you that you won't see us doing anything, but what we do in our own time is none of your business. Am I clear?"
The girls, including Irene, nod as they feel the seriousness behind his words. They finally recall that Kazuma was no child or teen they could push around. He was their leader, so they bit their tongues back while controlling their emotions.
Kazuma sighed before he turned his attention to Chris. "Sorry. I take the blame for this display."
Chris shakes her head. "You're the leader, so it's up to you to put order within the team. If you let them go overboard, the team will break down. Always remember your position and that you're not a child. Put your foot down and reinforce your position when necessary. Trust me; I lead an organization, and sometimes some agents cross their boundaries."
Kazuma nods. "Thanks for the advice."
The rest of the elevator trip was silent until the door opened once they reached the third floor.
Once inside the third floor, the team began to walk down a hallway, which contained many doors, until they reached their target at the end.
Chris opened the door and led them inside. Kazuma was the last to enter, and after doing so, he closed the door behind himself.
"Welcome to my private office and home. Grab a chair or two from the table near the kitchen or sit in bed. I won't have an issue with it." Chris said as she went behind the desk before she sat down.
Kazuma sat on the chair at the other side of the desk. Darkness and Irene grab chairs from the small kitchen while Megumin and Yunyun sit on the bed.
To the surprise of everyone present, Aqua used her staff to create a chair made of bones before she placed it as close as she could to Kazuma's.
"There were enough chairs at the kitchen table," Kazuma says.
"..." Aqua was silent as she lowered her head.
"... Alright, do as you please." The reaper said before he patted her head. "You act like a child when you want to."
"Very well, where do we start? Kazuma, did you reveal any information to Darkness and Irene that I should know of?" Chris asks.
"... They know about my circumstances. Irene had an idea that I was from Japan." Kazuma begins.
Aqua reacts as she turns her head and faces Irene. "She knows about Japan?"
"... This wasn't something I wanted to discuss, but I guess we can touch bases now since one demon lord is down. Megumin, Yunyun, do any of you know about Japan?" Chris asks as she faces the spellcasters.
Both nod, but Yunyun is the one who speaks. "Our ancestor, the one that created the clan and gave our people our powers, claimed himself to be from a faraway land called Japan. He had a name similar to Kazuma's."
Irene raises an eyebrow. "Wait your clan knew about this?"
"We live with a goddess; this is nothing strange to us. Our clan knows about exceptional individuals who appeared once in a while with mysterious blessings that can turn entire wars around. The kingdom of Belzerg has a long story with these people; many have been called heroes by the kingdom." Megumin joins in.
"Meow!" Chomusuke purrs as it escapes from Megumin's hat and rushes into Kazuma's lap. The divine beast playfully scratches his chest as if saying Kazuma is like those so-called heroes.
"Even Chomusuke acknowledges him as so. We did have an idea that he was someone like those from Legends. Darkness didn't help the case as she kept saying Blue Meteor and his abilities were nothing common to our world. I doubt there's an armor like his out there or skills like the ones Kazuma or Aqua's possess." Yunyun continues.
"So both of you know about it from the beginning?" Darkness asks.
"No, really. We knew it was possible, but you're confirming it for us. He's from Japan, but what has that changed? He's fighting with us, and that's all we care about." Megumin adds.
"The only difference is that Kazuma here is on a mission for someone who is, technically speaking, my boss. What we speak stays here within the Black Daggers. No citizen can know about this, so keep your tongues tight about it. Understood?" A strong aura surrounds Chris as she speaks, making everyone beside Aqua and Kazuma gulp.
The others nodded as they felt the tension in the air.
"Very well. Kazuma died in Japan, but before he moved on to the afterlife, he was offered something that anyone would wish to have. In exchange for the heads of all twelve demon lords, Kazuma will get his life back. He was sent from above to eliminate all demon lords in exchange for another chance at life. Right now, his real body stands between life and death; if he succeeds, he gets his life back, but if he fails, it is the end of the road. Now you have all the information you need, and if I hear anyone outside the Black Daggers knows about this, I will come for your lives. Understood?" Her eyes glared at the girls.
Everyone nods as they feel the severity of the situation.
"We understand….." Megumin looks at Kazuma, who sits in silence. "You have been walking forward as a dead man since the beginning…. I see why you care more about our lives than yours."
"You experience death before…. You're walking a fine line between this life and the next…. Thank you for taking such a daring mission, although it wasn't your responsibility." Yunyun bows her head.
"There's no need for such respect. All of you now know why I'm here. I'm doing this for my own benefit." Kazuma adds.
"Benefit? Kazuma, no mortal will judge another for trying to get another chance at life. Everyone fears death, and in most cases, something pulls us to live on. You'll want to live as long as you have something you care about. You wouldn't have taken such a mission if you didn't have such a thing. Now I'm curious why Aqua is here with you?" Darkness said.
The room became colder as Chris's eyes shone under her mask. "I'll let it fly regarding Kazuma, but I won't allow any more information to be shared. Aqua is off-limits. I'll say once, don't ask nor look for details about Aqua. Understood?"
Chris's protectiveness toward Aqua's past and identity told the team that she cared more about her than they expected. Even Kazuma was taken aback by her directness.
"They can't know the truth. Kazuma, we both know how much problems it would mean for us if they knew who she was. Don't let it get out." Her words were transmitted directly into Kazuma's mind.
The reaper nods as he understands the severity of the situation.
Irene raises her hands. "I won't ask any more questions, Chris. Please calm down."
The other girls did the same.
Once Chris saw the girls understand her orders, the tension decreased. "Good, now we can move on to our next issue." Her tone and voice turn far more friendly after that.
That day, the team learned not to overstep boundaries when it came to Chris and Aqua's connection.
Later that night.
Kazuma sat on top of a building alongside Aqua while the large crystal that acted as the sun for the base started to shut down as the nighttime came.
The night light around the city turned off, which made the algae in the lake shine bright as it gave an unnatural appeal that was likely unmatched on the surface. The pair watched the city in silence as they shared a moment with each other after more than a week separate.
"They know about you now. Your secret is now theirs to bear." Aqua said as she leaned against Kazuma's shoulder.
"And yours will remain a secret." Kazuma places his wings around her to offer Aqua some warmth.
"... Do you think they would hate if they knew the truth?"
Kazuma thinks about it before he replies. "Maybe…. Maybe not. Irene? Likely. She's a complicated girl. Her trust issues are something I doubt she'll get over anytime soon."
"... I never wanted all of this, but I do take the blame for being so careless. If I knew this would happen, I would have made changes and prevented them all from ever reaching this world."
Kazuma pats her head. "Sadly, seeing the future is not your domain… humans don't get that ability either, and we make many mistakes because of it, but we learn from said mistakes. After this is over, you're bound to grow as a goddess, and with Eris at your side, you won't be tempted to make such mistakes ever again."
"... What about you? Have you thought about it? What happens once the mission is over? Are you going back to Japan?"
"Aqua… I don't belong here."
Aqua pinches his cheek. "Who says that? I'm the goddess that oversees this world, and you match perfectly. Look at you, charming Darkness, having a connection with an orphan…. You could have a life in here with… Darkness."
"..." Kazuma looks at the dark rocky ceiling. "... My attachment to Japan remains strong. I want to see my brother; I also made too many promises I haven't achieved. Too many promises are left incomplete. I can't throw all that away."
"But can you throw all this away? Can you let go of Darkness? Of me?" Aqua faces him as she questions him.
"What do you mean?"
"... I'd like to stay in this world. I'd like to see what you can achieve in this world, and I feel that if you were around, I would be a better goddess than if you weren't."
"Aqua, you don't need me to be a better goddess."
"How can you know that? All this war was my fault. Because I made the wrong choices and gave people powers they weren't meant to have, but you're different. You wielded my power once, and instead of asking me to use it again, you told me not to do it. I haven't met a mortal like you. Mortals crave power, but you don't. You're doing a mission, but instead of rushing forward, you take the time to look around and do something to help. The orphanage in Axel won't be the last time you surprise me. I feel that you can do much more for this world than any other reincarnated individual has done before. I truly want to be part of this world, not just because I fear what could happen if you were to return to Japan but because I truly feel like I can trust you."
Kazuma shakes his head. "You're putting too much trust in me. I tend to disappoint those who expect me to achieve greatness."
"We'll never know until we try. Unless you take that step forward, I can't say what you can achieve, but I trust you enough to want to see it regardless of how minuscule your achievements become. A great adventurer, a king, a protector of the people, an inspiring businessman, or a mere husband taking care of an orphanage, I want to see more of your story in my world." Aqua grabs his hand and interlocks fingers with him before she rests her head on his chest. "I want my reaper to continue to walk on this wonderful planet I watch over. I know the time of a mortal is limited, but as long as you breathe, I want to watch over you. I once heard that a deity's greatest pleasure is to watch over a mortal they feel proud about. That mortal seems to be you as you continue showing me incredible things…."
"Aqua?" Kazuma calls out to the priestess.
Aqua's light snoring told him everything he needed to know.
"...Sleepy useless goddess of mine." The reaper moves her body until she's resting on his lap. Kazuma covers her body with his wings as she sleeps and carefully caresses her hair.
"She's a child in many ways," Eris says as she approaches the duo from behind. The goddess then sits down beside Kazuma without her mask.
"Not sleepy?"
"I'm nowhere as sleepy as Aqua…. I usually nap during the day."
"Nightime goddess…. What should I do?"
"That answer is yours to make. Not me, not Aqua's, not anyone else but yours. This is the blessing that every mortal has: the ability to choose their path forward. Although mortals claim they had no other choice, there's always another path. In this case, you have many choices ahead of you depending on what you decide when the time comes. Japan or our world. Darkness or a different maiden or maybe even a harem?" Eris smirks as she says that last one.
Kazuma raises an eyebrow. "Is that a thing in this world?"
"No, officially. Official matrimonies are monogamous, but adventurers always end up as the outliers. Imagine putting your life at risk for many years alongside a group of trusted fellows who put their lives on the line for you as much as you do for them. When the time to settle comes, said parties have a hard time breaking apart, and thus, they end up in the rare harem ending. I have witnessed two of these cases in the last 4000 years. One of which involved agents of my organization. Rust is the descendant of that particular group."
"Adventurers seemed to have so many things going on. Darkness and the others claimed that romances end up with nasty results while you're describing the dream of many men. Which one is real?"
Eris chuckles. "Both are, but that harem ending requires trust and union between all members. They must care about each other and put their differences aside for it to work. I hope to see which ending you'll choose, Kazuma. I also wish to know if you'll bless this world with tales to pass down and memories for Aqua and me to recall later on." Eris leans on against his other shoulder. "The tale of Kazuma Satou is something that neither I nor this organization will forget. You can be sure of that."
And so, with a goddess sleeping on his lap and another one resting on his shoulder, Kazuma continued to enjoy the calm of the night without knowing what challenges awaited him the next day as a new face would arrive.