Under the bright sunlight, a gentle breeze blew through the air.
Beneath the azure sky, Vanir looked disdainfully at Aqua dressed in a maid outfit. Waving his hand dismissively, he turned to Wiz and urged, "Wiz! Quickly send her away!"
"I absolutely do not want to see this useless goddess for even one more second!"
"Bleh~" Aqua stuck out her tongue at Vanir, making a mocking face while giving a thumbs-up.
With a confident smile, Satou Kazuma turned to Wiz and Vanir and said cheerfully, "We'll be back soon."
"Then I will teleport you close to the Crimson Demon Village. I wish you a pleasant journey," Wiz said, raising her right hand with a smile. "Teleport."
A purple glow lit up beneath the four of them as a massive magic circle enveloped them. In a flash, Kazuma vanished from sight.
"Huh?" Wiz stared in confusion at Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness, who were still standing there. Looking at her palm, she muttered, "I distinctly remember setting it for four people. Why did only Kazuma disappear?"
"No problem," Megumin said softly, her head tilted slightly as she fixed Wiz with a gentle smile. "Could I trouble you to send us again, Wiz?"
"Yes, of course!" Wiz stood at attention and quickly cast the teleportation spell again. The purple light flared, and Megumin and the others finally disappeared.
"Phew~" Wiz let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest. "What was with Megumin just now? That was so intimidating."
She paused, her expression clouding. "Also, it seemed like some magical interference disrupted the teleportation circle earlier. I hope Kazuma is okay."
"Perhaps we should reconsider our collaboration with Kazuma," Vanir said, stroking his chin as he smirked at the content of the group chat being livestreamed. "After all, I sense that Kazuma may not survive this ordeal. Even if he does, he'll probably never stand up straight again."
High in the sky, Satou Kazuma plummeted toward the ground, seated in a cross-legged position. Below him, a small black dot grew larger and larger.
Rubbing his smooth chin, Kazuma pondered. "Why is the teleportation exit in the sky? Why did Megumin suddenly decide to seal my powers and tell me to hold back instead of making an impactful entrance together?"
Looking around, Kazuma scratched his head in confusion. "Weren't we supposed to teleport together? Where are Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness?"
"Ah~" Kazuma exclaimed as the ground rapidly approached. With a quick motion, he righted himself midair.
Propping his chin on his hand, he sighed. "Maybe Wiz's teleportation spell malfunctioned. Looks like I'll have to go find them."
Whoosh! Boom!
With a deafening roar, Kazuma crashed into a dense forest, leaving a deep crater in the ground. Nearby, a group of locals engaged in some group activities paused and sniffed the air with their large noses. Their eyes lit up with flames of excitement.
"It's the scent of a handsome human boy! And there's no blood smell despite such a loud crash!"
"It's like a gift from heaven, sisters!"
Amid thunderous cheers, several figures disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a thin and lifeless shadow.
"Cough, cough," Kazuma emerged from the ten-meter-deep crater, covering his mouth and nose. Jumping out, he waved away the dust and turned back to survey the massive hole.
"Good thing Megumin only sealed my full power and most of my physical abilities. Otherwise, I'd be waiting for Aqua to resurrect me again," he muttered.
Stretching lazily, Kazuma took in the lush forest around him with a smile. "What a peaceful and quiet forest. Not even the annoying sound of insects."
Dusting off his clothes, Kazuma looked up at the sun. "So, which way should I go now?"
Bending slightly, he leaped onto a tree branch, hopping from one to another until he reached the tallest tree nearby. Squinting, he scanned the area for any signs of Megumin and the others.
"Hey, handsome boy up there, why don't you come down and play with us sisters~?" A sweet female voice called out from below. Kazuma's body stiffened, and a delighted expression appeared on his face.
"Have I truly reached the divine level of charm after completing my romantic training?" he thought. "Even girls I haven't met are falling for me."
Running a hand through his hair, he sighed dramatically. "Alas, I already have Megumin. I must refuse the beauties below."
"But I'll go down and break their hearts gently. I hope they don't spend their lives pining for me," he added, leaping gracefully from the tree.
Thud!
Kazuma landed smoothly, crouching with one hand on the ground. Rising slowly, he placed a hand on his forehead and said, "I am but a fleeting cloud in the azure sky, passing through your lives."
Opening his eyes, he continued apologetically, "I already have someone I love deeply, so let our encounter be like the clouds in the sky."
"Dissipating… into nothingness…"
"Gulp." Kazuma swallowed nervously as sweat poured down his face. Before him, the figures approached closer and closer. Panic set in as he screamed, "We're really not suited for each other! Like I said, I'm just a passing cloud!"
"So please," he begged, turning stiffly, "pretend I don't exist and let's part ways forever in this forest!"
"Ahhhhhh!!!!"
Activating his legs like never before, Kazuma bolted up a tree and fled as fast as he could.
"Sisters! Don't let this handsome, talented, and physically capable human escape!"
With hearts in their eyes, the leader of the group, named Swiqi, panted heavily as she watched Kazuma leap between the trees. Hugging herself tightly, she recalled his earlier words, the flames in her eyes burning brighter.
"Catch him! I'm going to have a hundred babies with him!!!"