[The same day]{Kazuma's POV}
After paying our debt i decided to go to Wiz, she deserved to know what happened to Vanir.
I made my way to her shop, steeling myself, before opening the door.
"You came to tell her about my demise? Boy, weren't your ears open when i said that i will return? Speaking of which - where is my good friend, Svetislav?"
"He went... Uh, somewhere?" I replied.
"Ah yes, he did want to fix the biscuit problem."
"Biscuit problem?" I looked at him with a confused expression.
"Yes. But that's for him to figure, you aren't eating from his creations to care enough. Now I know you are confused about how i am here. Take a closer look." Vanir said pointing at his forehead, where was the Rome numeral for 2 - II. "I lost one of my lives in the most 'worth it' way possible. Now i am Vanir the second."
Wiz came from the backroom. "Hi, Kazuma, Vanir told me all that happened, how Svetislav defeated him with just a touch."
"It was more than a touch till he got to that part."
"Boy from a distant land... Unlike him, you are desperate in more than one way... I have a proposition. Do you want to hear it?"
And so from that day on I began making stuff from my world to sell in Wiz's shop... I am still offended that he called me desperate.
[Some time later(Sorry the timeline in Konosuba is scuffed, i can't be for sure if i talk in numbers)] {Back to Svetislav's 1st person POV. We will experiment a bit.}
After Her departure i felt different, might not be as joyful, but in purpose which made me happy.
The thought of the future was leading me forward.
Some time later, Svetislav entered the living room and was met by Darkness and Megumin trying to pull Aqua away from the couch.
"You are behaving more childish than we are... Why at this rate..." Darkness and Megumin stopped and looked back at Kazuma, who was hiding under some, blanket-mattress-table thing. "You are going to end up like him."
Aqua gave an unimpressed and slightly disgusted look. "You have a point, being like that is the last thing i want... WAIT! Instead of bothering get that lazy lump to go!" Aqua said pointing at Kazuma.
"OK, look. Why do you get off calling me names? I'm pretty chill, but if you guys wanna get nasty with me i will go off."
"If you are so tough step out and so something about it." Aqua challenged.
"Ey, what's up?" I asked.
"We want to go on a quest, but those two are very reluctant not to." Darkness said, going to me.
"I am free. If you two want, we three can go while this two couch potatoes waste oxygen. You hear that, Oxygen thieves!"
"EY!" Kazuma yelled from under his weird furniture. Aqua was also not very pleased by the insult.
"Eh, it would be more fun the more we are." Megumin said.
"That is true. Joy shared is joy multiplied." I replied.
Slowly and quietly going behind the weird furniture and reaching in, grabbing Kazuma by the foot. "Come here, boy, you are going to do your job!"
Kazuma grabbed my hand and used Drain Touch, my eyes narrowed as i continued to replenish my mana. "You realize i can go on with this forever, right?" I asked him while he continued with this quiet protest.
"Fine. Let's toss this shit out of the window." I smiled as i said to the girls who were enthusiastic about going on an adventure.
"Wait. No, NO!" Kazuma panicked, coming out.
"There you are." I said clasping my hands together, one on top of the other. My smile faded though, when he quickly rushed back in.
"Yeah, let's toss him." Darkness agreed.
Us three got in position to lift him. "Aqua, open the window and you will get a sip of wine the next time I'm drinking with you guys."
I am never going to drink in public ever again. I snorted to myself, amused by how reluctant she was when she did that.
In that moment Kazuma resisted, fighting fiercely to not be thrown out like a dirty cat. He grabbed Megumin and used Drain Touch on her, and then used Freeze on Darkness.
Why are they so easily defeated...
Megumin was left laying on the ground and Darkness... "Ey, calm down or you will make a mess on the floor."
That comment for some reason turned her on even more. I narrowed my eyes.
"When yall are ready i will just... Wait outside." In that moment i nearly kicked something, in front of me was a small black cat with a cross on it's forehead and absurd wings. I crouched down and picked it up. "Hmm, where did you come from?" I asked myself.
"That's Chomusuke. I found her like a really long time ago." Megumin explained.
I nodded as i looked down at the cat. "How did i not realize you were here, i don't know, but you are pretty cute." I crouched down and placed the cat down, giving it a few pets before going out of the of the mansion to wait them out...
---
Eventually they came out, Kazuma out of the window, and the rest through the front door. "Took you long enough."
And so we went to town, where Kazuma lead us to a street which i were more than aware that there is a blacksmith. And that's exactly where we entered.
"Guess who!"
"Hey there."
"Hey man, how's it going. Is my katana ready, is it?" Kazuma said excited.
"You know it - just finishing in fact. Got the blade to curve how you wanted too." The blacksmith turned and took a sheathed sword from the bunch. "There you go."
Kazuma smiled widely as he held his sword, admiring it.
"First time making a sword like that and it came out alright. Not sure i got the tempering process you are talking about, but i did my best."
From the side wall of the store, the man with the hog rider cut said. "Yo kid. She's your partner now, take care of her, you hear?"
Kazuma made his voice deep and replied. "Don't worry, i plan to."
"That's a neat sword, when did you order it?"
"I did it at the same time as when i picked up my smithing skill from the blacksmith here. And since i was here and needed new gear anyway i placed the order with it."
The blacksmith gave Kazuma a piece of paper. "Still gotta give it a name. Once you do, write it on this and stick it on the handle. But before you do - check this out." The blacksmith moved to a weirdly colored knights armor.
And so Kazuma got in the armor.
Everyone admired him, except me. Because let's be honest, there are better color pallets than green, blue and yellow.
"Strike a pose with your new sword." Aqua suggested.
But Kazuma... Well he is barely moving in the armor. As expected.
Kazuma got out of the armor and the blacksmith said awkwardly. "Buddy, you are better using gear you are used to using... I guess."
Kazuma tried to cope by saying that at least he got a cool weapon.
He struck a pose nonetheless. Saying weird shit like: "Time for adventure... Partner." Before walking and knocking a whole entire shelf of swords...
Svetislav turned to the blacksmith. "Hey, while he is embarrassing can you teach me that same skill. Also do you have zinc?"
"What's zinc?"
I took a deep breath, accepting the fact that i will have to find another way to acquire it.
"Doesn't matter, i will buy a sword and the skill."
"Alright then..." And so he taught me with a single tap, it appeared in my adventurer's card, but there was another skill - "Artificial Life - Extension of self" I redeemed my skill points in both, before thanking the blacksmith.
"Wait! You also need to name your sword." He handed me another paper identical to the one he gave Kazuma.
And so i got myself a few stuff from here, a useful skill that allows me to manipulate metals outside my astral storage, and a sword which i will be modifying till it's unrecognizable.
My idea was to make a steam version of Nero's sword from Devil May Cry. And i planned to name it "Вкусът на моя успех.(The Taste of my success)"
I sat down with Kazuma, who was wondering what to name it, looking tired and annoyed, and Megumin who was just enjoying a meal.
I placed the sword on the table and began to alter it's shape. I might not have a hammer, but why would i need one when everything in a three meter radius is affected by my Perfect Conversion?
With grace the blade heated to a hot orange color, i applied kinetic energy in all the right spots, adding metal and taking where it is needed.
In the end the sword was nearing my height, it had a chamber in the handle, creating pressure. At first i thought to make it with a bicycle brake lever, which would make and release steam, but that would be inefficient and dangerous, so i made it so i have to spin the handle to make steam, pressure building, and when i swing i pull the brake lever, opening little doors that release the steam, the sword boosting forward. Still i weren't finished with the details.
I knew i can't create physical stuff, because i didn't know their layout, as in atoms, molecules and the other micro stuff. So i thought about it... If i can't create, why not just copy paste, my body already holds many minerals, so now i only need to copy the zinc in my body and keep on stacking until i have a cube which i could smash with copper to make brass... And so i did, it did drain quite a lot of energy to do that, but i managed to make an entire cube.
I held the zinc cube, Megumin got curious. "What's that?"
"The taste of my success."
In my other hand i pulled a cube three times in volume as the zinc cube, before smashing them together, getting brass. I was more than satisfied - i was in euphoria, because i understand it now.
As i pull my hands apart a cube of brass fell onto the table. "Is that gold?!" Megumin asked.
"No, it's better, for me! That's industrial gold, my favorite." I began to apply the brass on the sword, giving it a very thin layer of brass, everywhere except the edge. With my work done, i finally wrote down the title and placed it on the handle.
"Kazuma, Megumin, Svetislav!" Aqua called out. I looked up and at both.
"I think we found a good quest." Darkness yelled.
With that we gathered at the desk, Luna began explaining what the situation is. "The monsters you will be dealing with are called 'Lizard runners' and this is their mating season. During this time the males gather in a large group around the female, called the 'princess runner'. Then they proceed to compete for her affections."
"Compete how?" Kazuma asked.
"They run of course. Then as they run they trample everything in their path till the fastest male is revealed - that one becomes the kind. The princess acknowledges him and they become mates, then they mate."
"Good for them, so what's the quest part?"
"Eliminate the lizard runners before they become an even bigger nuisance... The herd is already so big, i'm afraid they wo-"
In that moment Kazuma cut her off by placing a finger over her mouth. "Shh, don't you worry. No matter how many they are they are no match for me and my partner here. That's right, me and uh... Kikuichimongi."
"Chunchunmaru." Megumin said.
"What did you say?" Kazuma turned to look at her.
"I said Chunchunmaru, that's what you should call it. Chunchunmaru." She repeated herself.
Before Kazuma realized, Megumin placed the name tag on the handle. The name was engraved into the sword's handle.
Svetislav died laughing. "Just give it a title, why even a name? Like lil bro, cuz your lil bro is lil."
---
Through out the entire walk to the spot Kazuma was complaining, i on the other hand played around with my sword to feel how it is. Every time i revved the handle i felt a thrill like none other, then came the swinging, this sword had a lot of force behind it, and also a lot of collateral damage. So i won't be using it near my friends.
"You will exhaust yourself from complaining so much."
"You of all people can say nothing, unlike you, i'm stuck with this goofy ass name for my sword."
"Yep."
Kazuma was more annoyed, now that i have shown how indifferent i am to his struggles.
But at least he stopped complaining for his sword.
As we reached the spot he said what the plan was, well the plan for them, he didn't find any use for me in this situation so he just said for me to do whatever i want.
"What do you mean i have no use? I'm the definition of usefulness."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Try help out or something."
Svetislav gave a sigh and revved the blade again. He decided to make an adjustment because he had an idea for a fighting style, one which involves setup, so her made a handle, by cutting an oval shaped hole, which would allow him to rev it up without having to stick it anywhere. So in term, he already had a combo set, stick in the ground, rev up, hold the sword for backhand stab, and shoot out, raising his hand with it and slicing and/or lifting the target, after which he jumps with them, switches the way holds it so he is holding it normally, grabs the handle and revs the blade again before releasing. He wasn't in danger, because he made himself an automatic code which would protect him for the heat, he could also shoot himself forward if he gets into a good position and rev while releasing steam.
In term, he already had everything planned. He felt excited for all the wrong reasons. He stood first in the line of defense Kazuma had planned. Darkness tried to protest, but Svetislav refused to listen - he stuck the blade in the ground and waited.
In the distance a cloud of dust formed - those were the lizard runners. For some reason they stopped and looked in their direction, before running towards them. Svetislav looked back and saw a bright light above Aqua... "Like using a laser to play with a cat... Dumbass."
He prepared, when the first came running he revved and released, jumping with the lizard up and striking it a few times, before finishing it with another rev and slice, killing it.
Svetislav was in the air long enough to not be hit. He grabbed one of the lizards by their neck and forced them down before slamming the sword into them repeatedly.
His comrades, mostly got trampled, Aqua cried, Darkness took it like a champ... and she also managed to protect Megumin. But there was an issue, Kazuma fell down after sniping the princess, and broke his neck with a disgusting crunch.
I fought as much as i can, until the herd dispersed. I ran up to Kazuma who was truly dead.
---
[In the afterlife]{Kazuma's POV}
I opened my eyes to a familiar void, except for the checkered floor and the two seats facing one another. Great... Back here again.
"...Yo" I muttered. "Guess it's that time again."
But instead of the usual calm Eris smile, I saw her standing there, hands clasped, shoulders trembling. Her head inclined down and her silver hair shadowed her face.
"...Eris-sama?" I said carefully.
She lifted her face - red eyes, puffy from crying. My stomach sand
"W-what happened? Who hurt you?" I asked.
"It's nothing," she said quickly, forcing a steady voice as she wiped her tears. "Don't worry about it, Kazuma."
That was a lie if I'd ever heard one. "You're kidding me, right? I can tell something's wrong. What's going on?"
"I said it's nothing." She repeated, sharper this time.
"Come on. You can't just-"
Her voice cracked, raw. "WHAT PART OF I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!"
The air split with divine force. Her hand rose, glowing with holy light - "God Blow-"
I flinched.
For a moment, I thought she was going to strike me down right there in the afterlife. But her hand froze mid-swing. Her lip quivered, and she pulled back, clutching her attire like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
I stood there, stunned.
"...Eris-sama..."
She turned away from me, trembling, her tears dripping silently on the checkered floor. "Just go back, Kazuma. Please..."
Before i could speak again, she opened the gates, just as Aqua announced for me to get up.
I floated back to the living world.
My eyes jolted open.
Svetislav laughed, reaching down to help me. "Your bum ass doesn't know what to do."
I grabbed his hand and he hauled me upright.
I staggered, still dazed. "Y-Yeah, well... Screw you too."
But my mind wasn't on him... All i could think about was Eris' tears.
{Back to Svetislav's POV}
On our way back to town, things felt heavier, despite the lizard blood and dust still clinging. Kazuma's wasn't his usual self. He actually seemed to be in deep thought, his eyes searching for nothing in the outside world.
"Yo, Kaz," I broke the silence, "you seem to be thinking about something. Everything alright?"
He gave a sigh and answered after a moment of contemplation. "...It's Eris. When i was... y'know, dead for a moment... she didn't seem like herself. I tried to ask what was wrong, but she shut me down. Hard. I haven't seen her that way before."
"Pfft, Eris this, Eris that," Aqua scoffed with her arms crossed. "She's probably just embarrassed she has to deal with you. What goddess wouldn't be."
"Shut up, Aqua," Kazuma snapped. He didn't even put much energy into it.
I glanced at him. "What do you mean, she didn't seem like herself? What exactly happened?"
Kazuma scratched the back of his neck. "I dunno... I just asked if something was bothering her. She said it was nothing, didn't wanna talk about it. But I pressed a little, and..." He frowned, almost wincing at the memory. She snapped. Like- full-on angry. Told me: 'What part of I don't want to talk about it do you now understand?!'"
Aqua rolled her eyes. "Please. She probably just go sick of your whining. I feel the same way every other day."
Kazuma ignored her, staring at the ground.
I stayed quiet, but my thoughts weren't. Chris telling me she wasn't who I think she is... her running away, crying... and now Eris being distant, snapping. I might not know who Eris is, but something just connects the dots...
A seed of a theoryy formed in my ymind. Dangerous, crazy, but possible. If it's true, then...
"I'll need to see Eris for myself," I muttered under my breath.
"Hm? You say something?" Kazuma asked.
"Nothing important," I deflected, forcing a smile.
"For you..."