A Shinobi's Take on this Wonderful World

Debt Cleared!

Just outside of Keele's Dungeon, two girls stood a couple feet apart from each other. They seemed to be having a faceoff, each not moving a muscle as they awaited their opponent's first move.

"You're still the monster I remember you to be, Cecily-nee... But I won't lose this time!"

"Just hearing you call me Cecily-nee amplifies my power tenfold!"

It was nearing the evening, and Megumin decided that she was tired of being treated like a doll by Cecily. So, she challenged the older girl to a duel.

The loser would have to do whatever the winner demanded.

Megumin would obviously place a restraining order on this deranged woman, but if she lost... No, it was best not to think of such scary things.

A bead of sweat made its way down the Crimson Demon's cheek. It rolled down to her chin and fell, passed her staff, towards the grass at her feet.

The moment the droplet hit the ground-

"You're mine-!"

"Manifest, my madness-!"

"AAAAHHHH!" x2

Before the two girls could even move, Aqua and Kazuma exploded from the dungeon's entrance before collapsing onto the ground.

Megumin and Cecily gave each other a look and decided to put their match on hold. Walking up to the collapsed duo, Megumin poked Kazuma's back with her staff as if she were checking to see if he was still alive.

Aqua seemed fine, other than the fact she was crying. But that much was normal.

Noticing the rather heavy looking sack on Kazuma's back, Megumin assumed that the dungeon exploration was a success. But one thing seemed out of place, and the way Kazuma was averting his gaze didn't sit well with her stomach.

"Where's Naruto?"

"We were attacked by an overwhelming number of monsters on our way out... Naruto sacrificed himself so that Aqua and I could escape with the loot."

Kazuma muttered through gritted teeth as he covered his eyes with a quivering arm.

Megumin's eyes drooped. There was no way that somebody who could go toe-to-toe with the Winter Shogun and blow up the Mobile Fortress Destroyer would lose to a couple of monsters in a low-level dungeon.

But before Megumin had the chance to retort, Cecily fell to her knees.

"No way... How could my darling perish in a dungeon and leave me behind... and without leaving any life insurance for me to collect!?"

"What a horrible thing to say! Actually, does this world even have life insurance!?"

Kazuma jumped to his feet and barked. He had almost forgotten that Naruto also had his own share of troublesome characters to deal with.

No, wait. Dust was no longer in his party, so that was one less idiot he had to deal with. Plus, he still had that cute mage, Yunyun.

...Hang on, didn't Naruto have it rather good compared to him? Just that competent mage alone would make all the pain that Kazuma had to go through in this world worth it.

"Hey... Why are you looking at me like you got the sour candy out of a mystery pack? Is there something that you'd like to say to your party member?"

Megumin growled when Kazuma's expression towards her twisted into a distasteful one.

"Ah! Something's coming out of the dungeon! Did a monster get passed Naruto!?"

Just then, Aqua scrambled to her feet and hid behind Kazuma while pointing towards the entrance to Keele's Dungeon.