The next morning, I awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. The inn where we had taken up residence for the night was surprisingly quiet, given the raucous festivities of the previous evening. I stretched, feeling the slight stiffness in my muscles from yesterday's battles and experiments. As I dressed, my mind replayed the events from the tavern—the addition of Darkness to our team, the laughter shared with Megumin and Aqua, and the sense of friendship that had begun to take shape.
After a quick breakfast, I made my way to the guild hall. The streets of Axel were bustling with activity as adventurers and townsfolk went about their daily routines. The morning sunlight bathed the town in a warm glow, and for a moment, I allowed myself to simply enjoy the peace of it all.
As I entered the guild hall, I spotted Megumin and Darkness already seated at a table, discussing something intently. Aqua was nowhere to be seen—likely still sleeping off the effects of last night's celebration.
"Morning," I greeted them as I approached.
"Good morning, Gilgamesh," Darkness replied with a nod, her serious demeanor as unwavering as ever.
"Morning!" Megumin chimed in, her usual fiery enthusiasm evident. "Darkness was just telling me about some rumors she heard while gathering information this morning. There's talk of a dangerous monster lurking near the ruins west of Axel."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Dangerous, you say? What kind of monster?"
Darkness leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a more conspiratorial tone. "It's said to be a powerful demon, one that has been terrorizing the countryside for years. The guild hasn't issued an official quest for it yet, but it's been mentioned in hushed tones among the more experienced adventurers."
A demon, huh? That certainly piqued my interest. After all, facing a strong opponent was exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for, and it would serve as a perfect test for our newly formed team especially now that the template of kazuma has reach 100% allowing full access to all of his abilities.
"Sounds like it's worth checking out," I said, a small smile forming on my lips. "If this demon is as dangerous as they say, it could be a good way to see how we work together as a team."
Darkness's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I agree. Facing such a foe will be an excellent test of our abilities."
Megumin clenched her fists in excitement. "Finally! A chance to use my Explosion Magic on something worthy! I'm ready whenever you are!"
"Let's not rush into it just yet," I cautioned. "We should gather some more information and make sure we're fully prepared before we go hunting demons."
Just then, Aqua burst into the guild hall, looking surprisingly chipper considering how much she had drunk the night before. "Did I hear something about hunting demons? Count me in!"
I chuckled. "Glad to see you're feeling better, Aqua. We were just discussing a potential quest. A powerful demon is supposedly lurking near the ruins to the west. Are you up for it?"
Aqua puffed out her chest proudly. "Of course! I'm a goddess, remember? No demon stands a chance against my divine powers!"
Megumin shot me a sidelong glance, and I could see the amusement in her eyes. "Sure, Aqua. Just make sure not to get too carried away." megumin smiled at her
With our plan set, we spent the rest of the morning gathering supplies and more detailed information about the demon. According to the rumors, the creature was known as **Vanir**, a demon of emotions and shame. It was said to be immensely powerful, with the ability to summon clay dolls and blows up its foes with miniature explosions. More than one adventurer had already met their end trying to take it down, which explained why the guild hadn't officially issued a quest for it yet.
By midday, we were ready. Armed with weapons, spells, and a renewed sense of purpose, the four of us set out from Axel, heading west toward the ruins. The journey was uneventful at first, the path taking us through lush forests and rolling hills. The closer we got to the ruins, the forest gets even more dense
"We must be getting close," Darkness remarked, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
Aqua glanced nervously at the forest. "Ugh, I hate thid. They are messing with my hair."
"Focus, Aqua," I said, keeping my eyes on the path ahead. "This is going to be our first real challenge as a team. We need to be ready for anything."
As we neared the ruins, the wind picked up, howling through the trees and sending leaves and debris swirling around us. The ruins themselves were an eerie sight—crumbling stone walls covered in moss, with shattered columns and twisted statues scattered throughout the area. It was clear that this place had once been grand, but now it was little more than a decaying reminder of the past.
"Look!" Megumin pointed toward the center of the ruins, where a figure stood waiting for us.
We reached the edge of the ruins, and it was then that we saw him. Standing in the center of the dilapidated courtyard, amidst the crumbling stone pillars and fallen statues, was a figure clad in an elegant, almost theatrical outfit. Half of his face was covered by a mask, and his presence exuded an aura of malevolent amusement.
"So, you are the ones who have come to entertain me today?" the figure said, his voice dripping with mockery. He clasped his hands together, almost as if he was preparing to welcome a guest. "Ah, how delightful! I haven't had any visitors in quite some time."
Aqua took a step back, summoning her staff in preparation. Darkness, stood ready, her expression a mixture of excitement and anticipation.
"We've come to defeat you, Vanir. Prepare yourself!" Darkness declared, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. She seemed almost eager for the battle to begin she even have a slight blush.
The eyes of vanir's mask twisted into what could only be described as a smile, "Defeat me? Oh, how pretentious! But before we engage in this little dance of violence, allow me to ask—what exactly are you hoping to achieve here?"
I smirked, stepping forward. "We're here to stop you from terrorizing this area. And, honestly, I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got."
Vanir chuckled, clearly amused by my response. "Marvelous! I do so enjoy a spirited opponent. Let's see if you can truly entertain me."
Without warning, Vanir raised his hand, and the ground beneath us began to tremble. From the earth emerged several clay dolls, they look like chibi vanir's, They moved with unnatural speed, rushing toward us with murderous intent.
"Aqua, keep those things off us!, if they get manage to get near us they can explodes!Megumin, get ready to unleash your magic!" I ordered, while simultaneously throwing her some mana potion just in case we need another explosion
"Leave it to me!" Aqua responded, her voice filled with determination. She summoned a barrier of holy light, blocking the advancing dolls and forcing them to explode outside the barrier.
Megumin began chanting, her voice filled with anticipation. "Darkness blacker than twilight, I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson the Time of awakening cometh justice, fallen upon the infallible boundary appear now as an intangible distortion!" "EXPLOSION" megumin blows up the remains the ruins, but unfortunately vanir manage to survive by changing bodies
Vanir emerge from the ground as his body slowly reforms from the dirt. Darkness charged forward, her heavy armor clanking with each step. She swung her sword wildly, clearly enjoying the fray. Her movements were bold and brash, taking hits from the clay dolls as she pushed forward, a grin on her face and face of someone who just gets her first orgasms.
Vanir watched the chaos with a gleeful expression. His laughter echoed through the ruins, clearly entertained by the spectacle. "Ah, such enthusiasm! You're quite the intriguing group."
I met Vanir's gaze, feeling a thrill of excitement. As I engaged him, I kept my attacks measured, enjoying the challenge while holding back just enough to savor the fight.
Vanir's mask seemed to gleam with amusement. "You certainly have an interesting style. I wonder, will you continue to surprise me?"
I smirked, countering his attack with a well-placed blow. "You're not the only one who enjoys a good fight."
The battle continued, with Vanir's clay dolls adding to the chaos while Darkness charged headlong into the fray, her actions fueled more by her own excitement than tactical precision. The clash of steel and the magical explosions filled the ruins, making for a thrilling, if chaotic, confrontation.
As the fight raged on, I reveled in the challenge, enjoying every moment of the skirmish. Vanir's antics and Darkness's wild combat style kept things lively, and despite the chaos, it was clear that we were making no progress.
With each exchange, I could only sense Vanir's growing interest. The battle was far from over, but I had no doubt that this encounter would be a memorable one...