Konosuba: Axels Fencer

Partying Up? (Chapter 5)

The open field stretched before them, the tall grasses swaying gently in the breeze. Sapphire's sharp gaze fixed on the target that had been spotted—a gargantuan toad, its bumpy green skin gleaming ominously in the sunlight. The giant toad, nearly as large as a small house, looked sluggish but menacing as it hopped forward with powerful, earth-shaking leaps.

"Explosion magic is the strongest magic, but it requires time to prepare. Please keep that toad at bay until my preparations are complete," Megumin's voice rang with urgency. She planted her staff firmly into the ground, her crimson eyes narrowing as she focused on the spell's buildup.

Sapphire quickly scanned the terrain, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "I've got this," he said confidently, raising his blade as he positioned himself between the toad and Megumin. "Don't worry, we'll make sure nothing interrupts your casting."

Kazuma, ever the pragmatist, nodded. "You can count on us," he called, shifting into a defensive stance.

But just as they began to organize their positions, Aqua's voice pierced the air. "Guys! There's another one over there!" She pointed frantically, and they all turned to see yet another massive amphibian lurching toward them from a nearby hill. Its bloated body rippled as it hopped closer, its wide eyes gleaming with hunger.

Sapphire raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Well, that seems to even out our odds a bit," he remarked, sizing up the new threat. "I didn't realize they came in so many colors."

Kazuma let out a dry chuckle. "It's not like that's a good thing," he grumbled, preparing his own weapons. "Alright, Aqua! You're on that one—Sapphire, stay here and cover Megumin! Keep that thing occupied while she finishes her spell!"

"Whatever" Sapphire said uncaringly, his muscles coiling as he shifted his weight, ready to move at a moment's notice.

Megumin, standing still, gave Sapphire a small nod of thanks. "I'll take care of the distant one. You just make sure I'm not interrupted."

Aqua, her tone dripping with a mix of sarcasm and determination, turned to Kazuma. "And for the closer one, I'll show you why they call me a goddess. Get ready to witness my divine power!"

"Goddess, right," Kazuma muttered, rolling his eyes. "I'll believe it when I see it."

With a sharp, precise movement, Aqua surged forward, her movements fluid and confident as she approached the first toad. Her eyes blazed with an almost divine fervor. "Behold! You three shall be humbled by the divine requiem of gods! God Requiem!" she shouted, her voice reverberating with dramatic force.

The spell surged from her, a flash of divine light engulfing the toad. The air trembled, and a shimmering aura surrounded Aqua as the toad staggered—but then, to everyone's shock, it didn't fall. Instead, the creature let out an irritated croak, as if the attack hadn't affected it at all.

The toad's massive tongue shot out, lashing around Aqua's waist and yanking her off the ground. Her eyes widened in shock as she was hoisted into the air, her divine powers unable to hold back the creature's relentless strength.

Kazuma's voice cut through the chaos. "Aqua, you're really living up to that goddess reputation right now!"

"A sacrifice truly noble," Sapphire added with a playful chuckle, though his eyes narrowed as the situation grew more dire.

He could feel the pressure of Megumin's spell building in the air. The wind seemed to shift around them, crackling with raw, destructive energy. Megumin's face flushed as she continued the incantation, her voice growing louder and more impassioned. "Darkness, deeper than the abyss and blacker than the void, merge with my scarlet passion. The hour of awakening draws near...!" she chanted, her staff vibrating as if it could barely contain the power surging through her.

Sapphire's eyes widened in awe, feeling the magical currents in the air—this was going to be enormous. The intensity of Megumin's magic was like nothing he had felt before, and he readied himself to shield her, preparing for whatever came next.

The incantation hit its climax. Megumin's voice rang out with a final, devastating command: "EXPLOSION!!"

The air itself seemed to collapse with the sheer force of the blast. The ground trembled, and the deafening explosion detonated with such intensity that Sapphire was caught in the blast's shockwave. His body was tossed through the air as if he were nothing more than a ragdoll, the fiery force of the explosion lifting him off his feet.

The very sky seemed to burn, the ground around them cracking and crumbling under the sheer destructive power of the spell. In the center of the explosion, where the giant toads had once stood, a massive crater now smoldered, a testament to Megumin's power.

As the shockwaves finally began to die down, Eryn fluttered from Sapphire's coat pocket, her tiny wings buzzing in a frantic circle as she tried to orient herself. Sapphire groggily stood up, his ears ringing from the explosion's intensity. His clothes were flapping wildly, his hair tousled by the force of the blast.

But his attention snapped back to Megumin, who lay collapsed on the ground, utterly drained from casting the most powerful spell she could muster.

"The spell drains all of my mana... I'm utterly spent..." Megumin gasped weakly, her voice strained as she looked up at Sapphire with desperate eyes. "Please, I need your help. The toad's tongue—!" She cried out as the slimy appendage wrapped tightly around her leg, trying to drag her closer to its mouth.

Sapphire's face hardened. "Kazuma, help Megumin! I'll handle Aqua!" he ordered, his voice sharp with urgency.

With practiced speed, he summoned his blade once again, the blade gleaming as it materialized in his hands. In an instant, he dashed toward the remaining toad that had swallowed Aqua whole, the creature's bloated belly twitching as it struggled to contain the divine presence it had consumed.

Sapphire's sword flared with a burst of fiery energy as he unleashed his Shooting Slash. The first horizontal strike sliced through the air with brutal precision, flames trailing the blade as it cut through the toad's thick skin. He followed it up with a duo of rapid slashes, each one a dance of fury and heat, the fire sizzling as it made contact with the creature's flesh, finally killing it.

Sapphire didn't spare a second as Aqua tumbled out from the toad's open mouth, coated in slime and blood, her hair matted with grime. She staggered to her feet, tears in her eyes, and reached out toward Sapphire, her voice hoarse and tremulous. "Sapphire... I—"

But Sapphire, overwhelmed by disgust at the sight of her slime-covered form, recoiled in alarm. "Don't touch me when you're covered in that filth!" he shouted, his voice tinged with panic and revulsion as he hastily backed away, shaking his head. He quickly turned to focus on Megumin, who was still struggling against the toad's tongue.

Kazuma, meanwhile, was hurriedly carrying Megumin, the slime from Aqua still clinging to his clothes in clumps. He turned to Sapphire, his face set in a grimace. "We're going back to town. Right now."

With no time to lose, Sapphire nodded, his mind already focused on Megumin's safety as they made their retreat.