Megumin x Male Reader

Chapter 29: A Second Phase

(Hey, author here. I know I said I'd try to not take as long to publish this chapter as last time, but shenanigans happened. As well as school. It got way busier than last year all of a sudden. But even if I'm busy, I swear I'll keep writing this until the story's done. By the way, this chapter's a little shorter than usual, but for a reason. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter.)

After Sylvia blew up, the party, along with Yunyun who came to them for some reason, approached the smoking crater. Megumin was comfortable on Y/N's back, again, while everyone else looked at the smoke coming from the crater.

Aqua: "That was a brutal battle. I swear to never hurt another person ever again."

Aqua cradled the now-broken railgun (fake) with a sad face as she said that. What she said caused Kazuma to snap back at her.

Kazuma: "Seriously, stop saying stuff that sets flags!"

Y/N: "Chill, bro. It's not like this is a game with bosses that have second phases. They aren't a thing here. Probably."

Kazuma: "I'm gonna smack you so hard."

Before he could, a weird sound came from the crater as the smoke began dissipating.

?: "Life..."

A slimy, purple mass came from the crater, getting bigger by the second. In the matter of a few seconds, the slimy purple mass was gigantic, about as big as snake Sylvia.

One part of it, resembling some kind of a hand, smashed the edge of the crater as another part formed into a head.

??: "Join us... Come with us!"

???: "I'm all clean now..."

Another part, a mouth with an eye in the middle and fangs around it, said that. Soon, Sylvia emerged from there, the fangs staying around her.

Sylvia: "Life!"

Megumin: "What is that?!"

Aqua: "Isn't that the slime we fought before?!"

Y/N: "And that's Beldia! What the hell?! A second phase wouldn't be that weird, but past bosses?! That's utter bullshit!"

Indeed. There really is no logic behind this.

Anyhoo, the mass kept rampaging around, destroying the ground. Another mouth formed at one part and it ate Beldia's head. Meanwhile, Sylvia desperately tried to grasp at something in the air, even though there was nothing there. Maybe she was clinging to life.

Sylvia: "I won't let it end like this! My life has only just begun! I'm going to continue living!"

Oh, she was.

As Sylvia was talking, she kept sinking into the slime. Finally, the slime swallowed Sylvia, growing even more massive.

Kazuma: "Crap, crap, crap, crap!"

The party + Yunyun had begun running away a long time ago. Even Y/N, the suicidal dumbass, was running away with Megumin on his back.

Aqua: "Slow down! Kazuma-san, wait for me!"

Megumin: "Y/N, slow down! I feel like I might fall!"

Y/N: "Then just cling to me tighter!"

Megumin: "A-At a time like this?! Keep this stuff for when we're alone!"

Y/N: "Why are you misinterpreting now of all times?!"

While the lovebirds were bickering, the rest of the party + Yunyun were running behind them, far enough to not hear their exchange.