The next day, we decided to take some more missions. Mainly so I can level up but also to build up reputation with everyone in my party. Who knows, maybe I'll have enough luck to trigger some… events, you know what I mean?
I grabbed one of the mission that kind of attracts my attention.
"Ne, what's Evil Trees?"
Megumin looked closer at the mission. "It's an evil tree that corrupts the forest. It draws magic and water from the soil to grow faster and stronger than the trees around it. It then returns corrupted magic back into the soil, turning other trees into withers.
Hee… Sounds pretty dangerous…
"Is it dangerous? Does the tree attacks you?"
This time, Darkness answered my question.
"The tree itself doesn't pose a threat. However, it attracts monsters and undeads to the area around it," she then smiled shyly. "Of course… If you want to do this mission, you are free to ditch me to the tree and…"
I tuned her out and turned towards Aqua who's still looking through quests a few feet away from us. She has her eyes on the higher pay missions, usually the ones that's just stupidly dangerous.
"Oi, Aqua, what do you think of this one?"
Aqua turned towards me. She looked at the mission paper in my hand and narrowed her eyes. "One hundred thousand Eris per tree?"
"Pretty good isn't it?"
The goddess rubbed her chin in deep thought before nodding a little. "I suppose it's an acceptable pay," she said. "How much are we aiming for? Twenty?"
"We'll just have to find out,"
…
After taking the mission, despite Luna's warning about the difficulty, we marched off out of the city. Everyone was in high spirits, ready to get beaten up by a swarm of monsters, cast explosion, and get paid.
As we walked through the glades outside the city, I double checked our mission details and the strategy.
"Ne, Kazuma," Darkness said while reading the quick plan I wrote for them. "Are you a veteran adventurer? I've never seen someone making an entire plan for a quest like this."
"Kinda, I'm a strategist and a war tactician back where I come from, I used to command entire armies into glorious battles and wars," I told her my usual cover, mainly so they'll be obedient and listen to me. "Though, I never really took an active part in battle so please excuse my feeble constitution."
Darkness simply stared at me with new found respect. "So your power doesn't lie on your might but rather your wits and intelligence," she smiled a little. "Then it will be an honor for me to fight alongside you."
Her honorable and formal tone almost made me forget that she's a helpless pervert.
I looked at Megumin and saw her walking alongside us in excitement. She twirled her staff every now and then, ready to blast off any monsters we're going to fight. If only she could use her spell more than once.
Oh yeah… she can only use it once. That means if we need to cast explosion to cut down the tree, we'll have to go with just one tree.
"Megumin, what made you love explosion so much?"
Megumin looked at me incredulously.
"What's not to love about the explosion spell? I am more confused by people who calls it useless and unnecessary! It's the single most powerful spell ever mankind, the power to destroy everything!"
I dunno, some people thought nukes were a good idea but look where we are now…
"I see… Has there ever been the case of someone casting explosion more than once a day?"
Megumin shook her head. "No, the explosion spell is extremely taxing. Even I, the most powerful Crimson Demon of my generation, cannot use it more than once. Being able to use it alone is considered an incredible feat."
Okay then, she's married to the Explosion Spell and will not settle for anything else. But still, why can't she just learn something, literally any spell at all? I mean, I get that she loves explosion, but what's the point if she can only use it once a day?
I was about to ask her about this when the realization dawned on me.
"Ne, Megumin, if you were to cast another spell before you cast explosion… Will you have enough mana to cast explosion?"
Megumin stiffened a little but didn't slow down.
"No, I won't have enough mana,"
"Did you know about this fact before you learn Explosion?"
"I do know,"
I sighed internally before looking at Aqua. Ability-wise, she's the least troublesome member of our party. She can do support spell, she can heal, she can resurrect, and she got party tricks.
"Kazuma, what's with this convoluted plan? We're just going out to chop woods right? Isn't this just an ordinary lumberjack job?"
Intelligence-wise, she is the worst one of us. If anything, I need to keep an eye on her the most because her pit bottom luck and intelligence may very well be the death of me.
"Because there are a lot of monsters and undeads around that tree."
"It's just mere monsters right? And undeads? You can leave those guys to me Kazuma! My Archpriest power will purify them all!"
She sounds confident, but after the toads incident, I do not want to take her word for it. At least the 'mere monsters' part, she might have better chance against undeads though, who knows?
The ground below us slowly turned into gravel. An ominous looking forest could be seen in front of us. I took a deep breath and brandished my cheap sword and simply stared at the forest.
"Okay everyone, here goes something," I turned around and saw everyone looking at the forest with determination. "Darkness, you lead the way, don't forget to activate bait,"
"Got it,"
"Megumin, stay behind me, Aqua you guard the rear and buff us,"
With that, we marched forward into the brave unknown.
---
I peeked behind a purple colored bush, staring at a large clearing. Numerous monsters could be seen roaming around the clearing. From kobolds, stray goblins, lots of undeads, and even some wolf monsters.
Tall pitch black trees are scattered all over the forest. It has purple leaves and blood red fruits. I watched a monster eating a fruit and it suddenly grew twice its size. Like, holy hell, this is gonna be hard.
Megumin and Aqua also crouched beside me. They too stared at all the monsters in front of us. The former looks like she's just raring to go, the latter looked just a little bit intimidated.
Behind me, Darkness stood in plain slight, an excited grin visible on her face. She stared hungrily at the mobs in front of her, fidgeting restlessly near us.
"Ka-Kazuma! Whenever you're ready! Just give me the signal!"
"Aqua, your strongest defensive buff on Darkness please,"
Aqua chanted her spell and a warm glow appeared around Darkness's form. The Crusader looked at her hands and smiled. "Thank you, Aqua," then she turned towards me, barely holding herself back.
"Can I go now? Kazuma?"
I nodded a little. "Just remember, your mission is to attract as many monsters as possible before you get beaten up," I pointed at the trees scattered all over the clearing. "Run around the clearing, lead everything on a chase, I'll head out once the situation is good enough,"
"With pleasure!!!" Darkness dashed out of her hiding spot and went straight to the nearest tree. "Over here monsters!!! Attack me with all your might, but I will never yield! You shall not hurt any of my friends!!!"
We watched as the Crusader ran through the clearing with delight. She gasped and moaned in bliss whenever a monster managed to catch up to her. She even made a loop to help the slower monsters keep up with her.
Truly, there are not better decoy…
"Ugh… To think there are these many monsters… Watching at me with those eyes…" the crusader skipped a little and didn't bother to dodge an incoming wolf. The wolf struck her, but she barely flinched. "Ahh, even though your attacks are powerful, I will never yield! I will keep going, for the sake of my teammates!"
I looked at the sword in my hand and closed my eyes in concentration. I've memorized the magic pattern for Tinder and I can manipulate the fire all I want. That way, I can pour my magic into my sword and now…
I got myself from a badass new fire sword.
"Whoa!" Megumin has stars in her eyes as she looked at my sword. "That looks like the Flame of Saber spell! I didn't know you can cast advanced spell!"
"Trust me, I can't,"
Soon enough, all monsters has grouped together at the other side of the clearing. Darkness stopped her flight and yelped in joy when a wolf tackled her down.
"Aqua, speed buff me then go to Darkness, Megumin stay here and wait for my command."
A few seconds later, a sense of lightweight came over me and I dashed out of my hiding. I charged straight to the nearest tree, intent on cutting it off in one blow. The tree was twice as thick as a regular oak tree and looks twice as hard. But I didn't flinch.
I charged my sword with as much mana as I can muster and swing with all my might. There was a spark and a burst of fire as my sword dug through the tree. Thanks to my luck, my attacks always crits.
"Timber!"
The tree fell over with a thud. I took a deep breath in slight exhaustion before turning towards my next victim.
It was during my third three when I heard it.
"Turn Undead! Turn Undead! Turn Undead!"
Judging by her tone, Aqua wasn't in danger more so than she was pissed. Flashes of light came from the group of monsters and undeads at the other side of the clearing and I decided that I should probably get Megumin to deal with it.
"Megumin!" I shouted. "Ready your spell!" I looked back at Darkness and Aqua. "Darkness, Aqua, get ready to flee!"
Aqua pulled a one eighty and left Darkness. The Crusader on the other hand, just moaned in pained bliss after seeing Aqua abandon her like that.
"Ahh… I want to run, but the monsters might follow me, I have to endure this!!!"
"What? Darkness no!" Megumin yelled in the middle of her chant. "My Explosion Spell is the strongest spell in all existence! None can survive it point blank, especially since you're injured! You have to get out of there!"
Dammit, Megumin can't shoot with Darkness on the way.
I kicked down a tree that's still barely standing and rushed towards Darkness. The Crusader has her eyes rolled up, showing only white. Her armor has been shredded to bits and her body shivering in pleasure and agony.
The monsters surrounding her kept biting and clawing away at her. Scratch marks and bite marks could be seen all over her body. There's even some wound at some part of her body.
Though, the fact that she's still alive is already a feat on its own. Like, seriously, is she even human? I mean, sure she got a goddess to buff her defense, but… Wow.
Some of the monsters turned towards me and I gulped nervously. I've depleted a half of my mana chopping down the trees. I don't want to engage to anymore enemies so I took a few steps back.
"Darkness! For fuck sake, get out of there!!!"
"No! Just leave me be Kazuma! It's too late for me!"
"Darkness, if you survive this, I swear I will make you regret this!"
"Yes! Punish me Kazuma! Punish this useless Crusader a lesson! Ahn!"
I'm taking back anything I said about Aqua. This one here is the most troublesome of the bunch. I really, really need to fix her masochism ASAP before she could get all of us killed.
I looked back towards Aqua and saw her already walking towards me. "Keep her alive," I told the goddess before continue chopping down trees.
"Three hundred thousand Eris…"
"Four hundred thousand Eris…"
"Five hundred thousand Eris…"
…
"One million," I gasped for breath and knelt on the ground. There goes all my magic. I looked back and saw that the stronger monster that's attacking Darkness has already dispersed somewhat after I cut down most trees in the area.
I dropped down on to the ground and chuckled silently to myself. Take THAT curse, I'm a millionaire now…
After resting for a few minutes, I stood up and walked towards everyone else. The Crusader just fell unconscious and the smaller level monsters fled away deeper into the forest.
"Okay…" I sighed a little and walked towards the Crusader. There's a bunch of lacerations all over her body, but it's rapidly healing thanks to Aqua. "Megumin, help Aqua carry Darkness back to the guild, we'll split the rewards later."