After passing through the orc's territory, we entered a forest nearby to rest for a bit. Megumin was a little bit excited back there and almost wholly depleted her mana. Thankfully, we have two powerhouses, namely Aqua and Liz.
"Thanks Liz,"
"Think nothing of it, Okaa sama," Liz replied. "It is understandable for someone to lose themselves during such a spectacular hunt,"
Beside me, Aqua is healing some burns on my body. The fire tornado stunt I pulled earlier apparently still scalds my skin. If it weren't for her, my body would sting all over by tomorrow.
"Ahh… Thanks Aqua,"
"What are you going to do without me around Kazuma kun?" Aqua asked while healing every part of my body. "I'm sure you know a much easier and safer way to do it right?"
I rolled my eyes at that. "It wouldn't look as cool though,"
Liz and Megumin nodded in agreement.
"Yeah! That Fire Tornado was so cool!"
"Twas an awe-inspiring performance!"
Then, Liz froze a bit and sniffed the air around her. "I sense something… not monster, demon?" she pointed at a direction.
From behind the bushes in that direction, we saw a group of armored monsters. Sharp ears and dark skin, they are slim and muscular demons. It has a horn on its head and seems to be part of the demon king army.
Should I engage them? I mean, those are lesser demons, they can't be stronger than the orcs. Just Megumin should be able to deal with an army of these.
"Found two, no three! Crimson Demons! The rest look like human adventurers! Hey, this way, quick! There are three Crimson Demon kids! This is a chance to earn some merits!"
Never mind, they found us. It seems they're targeting Yunyun, Liz, and Megumin. This is kind of the most idiotic thing one could possibly do when fighting us. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to figure who's the strongest between the three of them and the rest of us.
"Okaa sama, did these lesser demons came here to challenge us?" Liz folded her arms in front of her chest. "I find the notion quite pitiful, do they have no common sense to speak of?"
"Apparently they called us a child," Megumin said, brandishing her staff. "Liza chan, you should know by now that calling me a child is an unforgivable taboo, right?"
"What proper punishment do they deserve, Okaa sama?"
"I am granting them the mercy of swift death for their bravery."
The demon king army heard every word. Even with a hundred of them surrounding us, some began shaking a little in fear. Coupled with the fact that neither Megumin nor Liz even bothers to hide their killing intent.
"S-Surround them! She can't do anything if we surround and charge her, get the child and use her as hostage!"
At this point, everyone else started shaking their head at the demon king army. Their expression is that of pity and warning as if telling them to just go and run while they can.
"Liza chan, they seem to be targeting you,"
"An ideal state of affairs, Okaa sama. After all, pursuing every last one of them can be quite effortful."
One of the bravest lesser demon I've ever seen in my life stepped forward. It raised its sword and call upon its brethren. "D-don't listen to them!" its legs were shaking as it said that. "You two! Return and call for reinforcements!"
The demons fled away in an instant.
With that, the demon charged at the two of them and…
Look, you know how this would go, so let's just skip to the aftermath, okay?
A part of the forest has been razed to the ground. Numerous bodies of the demon king army were scattered around the war zone. The Crimson Demon and the Dragon stood in the middle of the carnage, both grinning at their latest stunt.
The rest of the party has gone to my side. They all just looked at the crawling remnants of the demon king army in pity. There wasn't even a battle. The demon king army tried to turn tail and run the moment Megumin blew up half of the forest.
Liz flew through the battlefield, she killed them one by one like death incarnate. It seems like she took the 'can't use magic' personally, so she decided to go melee on all of them. Worst mistake ever because, trust me, you'd prefer blew up from explosion magic than being ripped into shreds by a freaking dragon.
"Kazuma," I turned to Elena, who's still shaken up by the display of power. "Why aren't you charging in to the demon king's castle?"
"I need to kill more generals before I can do that. Sylvia, Seresdina, and the Demon King's daughter. Then I can storm the castle."
"I see…"
When we thought it was all over, a war cry came from a distance away. It seems that the demon king reinforcements have arrived, and they're all… Running towards us in panic?
"Run!"
"They're coming!"
I don't know what could be scarier than the two girls standing in the warzone. Still, there they are—demon king army reinforcement running through the battlefield and fleeing from an unknown enemy.
They took one look at us, then to the warzone, then start running even faster.
Then, a group of four men dressed in black appeared at the edge of the battlefield. Two of them wore the black cloak, the other two wore something like a biker gang costume. They all have scarlet eyes unique to all Crimson Demon.
"Disappear without even a trace of your flesh, burn in the dark flames from the abyss of my heart!"
"Oh no, I can't suppress it anymore! Become the sacrifice to pacify my destructive urges!"
"Come, fall into eternal slumber… In the embrace of my ice-cold arms…!"
"Please rest in peace. I won't forget you all. That's right, your existence will be engraved forever… In the memories of my soul…!"
They said that for the sake of theatrics. Just like how I would sometimes yell out my spell, and Liz would call out her moves.
The Four Crimson Demon quickly pursued after the fleeing demon king army reinforcements.
"Light of Saber!"
"Light of Saber!"
"– Of Saber!"
"– Saber!"
Wait, what happened to the Dark Flames and Ice Cold Arms? Can't they cast Inferno or Cursed Crystal Prison? Those are the same level as Light of Saber, right?
We regrouped with Liz and Megumin. The four Crimson Demon already approached them, and it seems they recognized Megumin.
"I heard sounds of explosions in the distance, so I came with the members of the anti-Demon King's army guerilla unit… But isn't that Megumin and…" he turned towards us who just arrived. "Yunyun? What are you two doing here?"
"Aren't you the son of the shoemaker, Bukkoroli? Long time no see, I came back here to…" Megumin blushed a little and shook her head. "A secret mission!"
"Whoa! A secret mission?" the crimson demon who said something about existence will be engraved forever looked a little excited. "Is it to fight the secret organization that controls this world?"
Megumin put her index finger on her lips in silent motion. The crimson demon's expression turned serious, and he nodded understandingly.
"By the way, Megumin, are those your adventuring companion?" Bukkoroli asked.
"Yes, they're my adventuring companion," Megumin said.
Bukkoroli suddenly made a pose. "I'm Bukkoroli. Son of the owner of the number one shoe shop in the Crimson Demon village. Archmage that wields advanced magic…!"
I smirked a little and turned to everyone else. They all groaned a little but get into position.
All four Crimson Demon watched in silent awe as we start out the introduction.
"A Jack of All Trades and the Master of All! The one who Defy Fate, Rewrite History, and the Champion of Wisdom and Trickery! I am the one who will one day Kill the Demon King for I am, Satou Kazuma! The Leader of the Most Powerful Adventuring Party in Axel City!!!"
I ended my speech by raising my sword to the heavens. Then, Megumin began her introduction.
"I am Megumin! Archwizard who has Mastered the Explosion Spell beyond what's achievable by Mankind! I am the Main Damage Dealer of the Most Powerful Party in Axel City. I am known as the Mistress of Destruction who will one day become an Eternal Legend!"
She made a pose with her staff on my right, and Yunyun continues her introduction.
"I am Yunyun! Archwizard who has Mastered many Advanced Spell! I am the Chief's Daughter of the Crimson Demon Village and the one who will one day become the Leader of all Crimson Demon, to bring the Village to Eternal Prosperity!"
The red-faced Yunyun made a pose on my left. Then, Aqua started her introduction.
"The one who has mastered all Party Tricks and Bard Skills! The Light of Hope that shines in the Dark! The Bane of Demons and the Savior of all things beautiful! All undeads and demons tremble before my presence, for I am Aqua! The Archpriest of the Most Powerful Adventuring Party in Axel City!!!"
Aqua stood beside Yunyun and struck a confident pose. Then, Darkness started her introduction.
"A Crusader who has mastered most, if not, all the defensive skill of a crusader. I am the mighty wall the stood between danger and my loved ones! No attacks can hurt me for I am Darkness! The protector and vanguard of the Most Powerful Adventuring Party in Axel City."
Darkness stabbed her sword on the ground beside Yunyun in her serene Crusader pose. Then, it's finally, Liz's turn.
"Rejoice Mortals for I have graced you with my presence! I am the Forerunner of the Strongest Adventuring Party in the World! The Progeny of the Strongest Archwizard that has ever walked the earth and the greatest Adventurer in all existence! I am the one who will one day become the Ruler of All Dragon, the strongest Dragon in all existence, for I am, Emperor Queen Elizabeth!!!"
Liz made a pose right in front of me and spread out her wings low to not cover everyone else.
"And we are…" We made another pose, our usual battle stance.
"THE FANTASTIC DREAMERS!!!"
The Crimson Demons watching looked at us with stars in their eyes.
"Amazing, what an amazing performance!"
"To think an outsider would pull off a Team Introduction like that!"
"Beautiful, sniff, simply beautiful!"
"Megumin, Yunyun! You truly have found the perfect party!!!"
Just like that, their first impression of us skyrocketed.
"Come with us honored guest!" Bukkoroli said. "Let us take you to the village of Crimson Demon!"
"Teleport!!!"