Megumin meticulously studied Darkness' Adventurer Card, her gaze lingering over every detail.
"Hold on, this lady is a Crusader! We don't have any reason to turn her down," she insisted, her tone firm and resolute.
"We do... we have a lot of reasons..." Sapphire muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with doubt.
"Alright, guys, I didn't want to say it at first but... Sapphire and I may not look like much, but we intend to defeat the Demon King," Kazuma declared, revealing their ambitious goal to the group.
"Mhm, that's right," Sapphire nodded with approval, his eyes reflecting determination despite his casual demeanor.
"Darkness, if a female knight like you were to be captured by the Demon King and his forces, you'll surely suffer a horrendous fate!" Kazuma warned, his words carrying fake concern.
"Yes, that's exactly right," said the perverted knight, a confident smile gracing his lips as he acknowledged the grim reality.
"... Told you," Sapphire chimed in, his expression betraying a mix of resignation and understanding.
"What? Did I say something weird?" Darkness asked, her confusion evident in her voice as she tried to make sense of the conversation.
Kazuma looked momentarily defeated before turning to Megumin, seeking reassurance in her unwavering resolve.
"Megumin, we are talking about the strongest being in this world. Surely-"
"I am Megumin! The user of the most powerful magic this world has ever seen, Explosion magic! I shall obliterate this so-called 'strongest being' with the strongest magic!" Megumin interrupted, her voice filled with fiery determination as she struck a dramatic pose, emphasizing her conviction.
"Sapphire... I-"
"I wanted to kill the Demon King from the very beginning. You, of all people, should know this," Sapphire interjected, his words cutting through the somber atmosphere with a hint of frustration.
"Yeah, right..." Kazuma slumped in his chair, his posture mirroring his dejected mood as the weight of their mission settled on his shoulders.
"Emergency quest! Emergency quest! All adventurers, assemble at the front gate immediately!" Sapphire was about to speak when the loud voice of receptionist Luna interrupted, her urgent announcement breaking the tension of the room.
Sapphire and the group dashed swiftly towards the front gate, their senses heightened by the palpable anxiety rippling through the townspeople. Panic gripped the air as citizens hurriedly fortified their homes or ushered their children indoors. Sapphire couldn't shake the gnawing curiosity about the impending threat looming over them.
Upon arrival at the gate, they were met with a sizable congregation of adventurers, an unexpected sight for a humble town just starting out.
"Goodness gracious, the number of adventurers here is staggering!" Sapphire exclaimed, shattering the tense quietude.
"Is that really what's concerning you right now?!" Kazuma retorted sharply, his gaze fixed on the approaching green haze in the distance.
"What's happening? Is it a monstrous assault?" Sapphire asked, scanning the horizon for any ominous signs.
"Did you miss the memo? It's cabbage. Cabbage!" Aqua chimed in, clasping a large basket.
"She's right. Were you even listening, Kazu—wait, did you say cabbage?" Sapphire echoed, disbelief tinting his words.
"The tempest draws near," Megumin proclaimed dramatically, her theatrics reaching a crescendo.
"Hey, Megumin! What's going on—" Sapphire attempted to inquire further, but the cheers from the surrounding adventurers drowned him out.
"It's harvest time!" The adventurers roared enthusiastically, preparing themselves for the peculiar challenge.
"Why is everyone ignoring me—"
"Get the mayonnaise ready!" Aqua's excitement was palpable.
"Emergency quest! Eliminate all airborne cabbages threatening the town! Each cabbage will be worth 10000 Eris." the announcement echoed, clarifying the bizarre scenario.
Caught off guard but determined to make the most of the situation, Sapphire charged towards the incoming swarm of flying cabbages. Tuning out Darkness's ramblings, he focused on slashing at any green, airborne menace.
In the midst of the chaotic battle, Sapphire glanced over to see Darkness struggling to connect with the airborne vegetables. "She's even less effective than I imagined..." he mused, acknowledging the sheer absurdity of their predicament.
Darkness sprang into action when she noticed Sapphire disoriented by a mere cabbage, rushing to Sapphire's side and shielding them with her body from the relentless onslaught of flying vegetables.
"Stay behind me, Sapphire! I'll fend them off, just go!" she urged, her voice strained with effort. She deflected each incoming hit, her arms absorbing the impact as cabbages relentlessly pummeled her. Despite the barrage, she remained steadfast, not yielding an inch. As Sapphire struggled to rise, they glimpsed her flushed face, panting heavily from the exertion. Gradually, the cabbages began to wear down her armor, exposing more of her skin, and to Sapphire's surprise, she seemed to derive an unusual thrill from the chaos.
In a moment of surrender to the bizarre situation, Darkness extended her arms as if inviting the cabbages and let out a moan of mingled humiliation and ecstasy. "The indignity... hah... THE DELIGHT!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
"...Just when Sapphire thought they understood you," they muttered under their breath, torn between disbelief and amusement.
With a reluctant sense of dependence, Sapphire sought refuge behind the now turned-on Crusader, quickly assessing their predicament. Escape was imperative.
"Darkness, keep them busy! I need to retreat!" Sapphire called out, realizing she was preoccupied absorbing the vegetable assault.
She nodded, absorbed in her defense, as Sapphire sprinted towards the front gate. However, their relief was short-lived as they noticed Megumin aiming her staff directly at Darkness's location. While Sapphire trusted Darkness's durability, their own fate seemed less certain.
As Sapphire pushed their legs to their limits, Megumin's incantation reached their ears. Though they couldn't decipher her words, they recognized the ominous tone all too well.
"-Explosion!"
As Sapphire slowly regained consciousness, he found himself lying unexpectedly at the guild table. Kazuma, Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness were all gathered there, relishing stir-fried cabbage. Megumin was the first to notice Sapphire's subtle movements and whispered sounds, exclaiming with a gasp, "Sapphire's awake!"
"Well, well, they aren't dead after all," Kazuma remarked with a hint of smugness.
"Of course not! I healed him! Just admit that you don't believe in my Arch-Priest skills!" Aqua, known as the 'goddess of party tricks' to whom Sapphire owed his current state of recovery, snapped back at Kazuma.
"Feeling lucky, huh? Sapphire took quite a blow and passed out... I wouldn't mind that kind of luck," the newest addition to their cursed party sighed wistfully.
"Stop whining! You got hit full-on with an explosion! What more do you want?" Kazuma retorted.
"B-But I didn't faint!" Darkness whined.
"...I wish I could go back to sleep," Sapphire muttered, feeling the weight of the conversation bearing down on him. Just then Sapphire noticed Eryn sleeping on his chest her face stained with tears. "She was sure you died because you didn't take her with you when you left the guild." Kazuma explained. Eryn started to stir due to Sapphires movement and looked up to see him awake. "Don't ever worry me like that again!" she said clutching to him like he would disappear.
"I think this is where my adventure really begins." Sapphire thought about this and smiled. He looked at Eryn. She looked back at him and gave me the most precious smile he'd ever seen.
YOU ARE READING
Konosuba: Axels Fencer
FanfictionIn a world much like our own, Sapphire led an ordinary life as a typical kid: going to school, enjoying games, and even managing a part-time job. Everything changed one fateful day when he stepped into a convenience store to stock up his fridge. As...
