Chapter 167: My Life Has Been Completely Polluted by That AbyssWhile Haru was still feeling smug about his stroke of genius, Sylvia's expression had completely darkened.She looked at the Crimson Demon Clan villagers striking bizarre poses and chanting embarrassing incantations, a flash of disdain crossing her eyes."Hmph, a bunch of fools who only know how to play with fire. Since you're looking for death, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"Before she could finish her sentence, a surge of pitch-black magic erupted from her fingertips, transforming into several sharp energy blades that lunged straight at the Crimson Demon Clanvillagers.However, to the shock of Haru and Kazuma, those Crimson Demons, who seemed so chuunibyou and ridiculous, now displayed astonishing combat prowess."[Explosion Barrier: Pitch-Black Shield]!"The leader, Chekipepe, gave a low shout, and his staff slammed down. A magic barrier as black as ink instantly expanded in front of him, forcefully blocking Sylvia's energy blades.The energy blades collided with the barrier, producing a piercing grinding sound and sending sparks flying everywhere."I am the messenger of Darkness, the incarnation of magic! [Evil King's Flame-Killing Purgatory Scorcher]!"Another Crimson Demon woman also struck. She pressed her palms together and spat out a stream of scorching black flames. The flames twisted as if they were alive, heading straight for Sylvia.Sylvia clearly hadn't expected these Crimson Demon Clan villagers to be so powerful.Her figure blurred as she nimbly dodged the black flame, but the fire brushed past the corner of her clothes, instantly charring a patch of fabric."Damn it! These guys... actually have this level of magic power!" Sylvia's expression became rather unsightly.She knew that while the Crimson Demon Clan were eccentric, every one of them was a natural-born magic genius.If it were just one or two, she naturally wouldn't care, but the group before her cooperated seamlessly and possessed immense magic power. If a protracted battle ensued, it would likely attract even more Crimson Demons.If her identity as a Demon Kings Army General were exposed then, things would get very messy indeed."Haru! Kazuma! Run!" While fending off the attack, Chekipepe didn't forget to shout a reminder to the two. "This is a battle of glory for us of the Crimson Demon Clan! You mortals, retreat quickly! Do not defile our Explosion Aesthetics!"How could Haru and Kazuma dare to delay?Kazuma scrambled up from the ground, crying while hiding behind Haru.Haru also took advantage of the opening created by the clash between the Crimson Demons and Sylvia, grabbing Kazuma and sprinting toward the village.Seeing this, Sylvia knew that lingering any longer would bring no benefit and would instead invite unnecessary trouble.A flash of resentment crossed her eyes, but she ultimately chose to retreat.Before leaving, she suddenly looked back and gave the frantically fleeing Kazuma a seductive yet slightly wicked smile."Hehe, little brother... don't forget, sooner or later, you'll be mine~"Her voice carried a penetrating quality, clearly reaching Kazuma's ears.Kazuma stumbled, nearly falling flat on his face.He glanced back and saw that Sylvia had vanished into the depths of the dense forest like a shadow, while the Crimson Demon villagers were striking victory poses as if they had just fought an epic battle."Waaaahhhhhh!!" Kazuma let out a desperate wail, grabbing Haru's shoulders and shaking him violently. "Haru! Did you hear that?! She—she's targeted me! She's really targeted me! My life... my chastity... uuuu..."Haru patted Kazuma's back. Although he was also feeling uneasy, he tried his best to maintain a calm exterior."Alright, alright, stop crying. At least we're safe now, aren't we? Besides, didn't you say she was an abyss? Now she's gone, the abyss is gone, isn't that great?"Haru comforted him, though the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch upward slightly."Great my ass!" Kazuma suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "That look in her eyes! That smile! That'sooner or later you'll be mine'! Haru, you don't understand at all! My life has been completely polluted by that abyss!!"When Haru dragged the now-limp Satou Kazumaback to the Crimson Demon Village's central plaza, they happened to run into Aqua, who was squatting by the roadside eating strange snacks, Megumin, who was striking chuunibyou poses, Darkness, who looked serious (but with wandering eyes), and Yunyun."Yo! Everyone, come look at this hero! He just accomplished a feat worthy of being recorded in the history of this other world!"Haru laughed hysterically, slapping his thigh as he pointed at the hollow-eyed Kazuma behind him, who was constantly muttering that breasts are a lie and the world is a void."Oh, Haru, why are you guys just getting back? What's wrong with Kazuma? He looks like his essence was sucked dry by a hundred zombies in a row."Aqua brushed the snack crumbs off her hands and leaned in to observe Kazuma like he was some rare creature."Could it be that he finally realized he's a hopeless loser and decided to give up on thinking?"Haru's stomach hurt from holding back his laughter as he vividly described the shocking encounter in the woods to everyone:From Sylvia's peerless beauty to that suffocating secret, then to the scum-style honey trap Kazumainitiated to save his life, and finally that world-shattering line: 'You'll be mine sooner or later.'Of course, he omitted the part where he also fell for it, and Kazuma was in no mood to argue right now."Pffft—hahahaha!! A peerless beauty with a package?! Kazuma, you actually tried to seduce that kind of monster to save your life?! As expected of you, your bottom line is practically lower than my IQ... wait, no, lower than a Slime!"Aqua rolled around on the ground laughing, completely lacking any image of a goddess."Pui!" Megumin spat on the ground with a look of disgust, her red eyes filled with disdain."To perform such shameless acts toward a Chimera... Seduction? Do you even have any self-respect as a human being? You're a disgrace to the Crimson Demon Village. Stay away from me; that perverted aura will pollute my Explosion Magic!""Being... being forcibly pinned to the ground... and having one's secrets deeply explored?"Darkness's breathing suddenly became ragged, a strange flush rising to her cheeks. She hugged her shoulders, her body trembling slightly. "That kind of... extreme humiliation and physiological impact... uuu, why, why didn't that happen to me... I want to be treated like that by a Demon Kings Army Generaltoo...""Darkness, that's enough!" Haru rolled his eyes, then looked at the only relatively normal one, Yunyun.Yunyun's expression was unusually serious; she hadn't been swept away by the absurd atmosphere at all, her brow furrowed deeply:"Everyone, calm down! The point isn't Kazuma's chastity, it's that the Demon Kings Army GeneralSylvia has appeared near the village! She's a dangerous individual known as a Chimera; her appearance is definitely not a good omen. I must tell my father about this immediately!"Hearing the words 'Demon Kings Army General', the previously corpse-like Kazuma jumped up as if he'd been electrocuted. He grabbed Yunyun's shoulders and screamed hysterically:"Right! Go tell your dad! Go call the whole village! Blast that abyss away! I don't care about the Demon Kings Army or whatever, I just know that person is eyeing my butt! I don't want to see her ever again!!"Yunyun was startled by Kazuma's reaction. She nodded with a blush and turned to run toward the village chief's house:"I'm going! Everyone, please prepare for battle as soon as possible. If Sylvia really is attacking, the Crimson Demon Village might be facing a fierce battle!"
Chapter 168: Offering a First Kiss for Each Other's HappinessHaru looked at the scum Kazuma, who was curled up on the ground, muttering about how hard it was to be a man and how scary the world was, and sighed deeply.He knew that if he didn't take extreme measures, this guy probably wouldn't even qualify as cannon fodder in the battles to come.He turned his head and looked solemnly at Megumin, who was clutching her staff with "I don't want to know this pervert" written all over her face."Megumin, listen. The village is facing a huge crisis right now, and our strongest tactical core—Satou Kazuma—is completely broken after suffering mental pollution that exceeded human limits."Haru held down Megumin's shoulders earnestly, his eyes filled with a sense of "sacrificing the few for the sake of the many.""W-what does that have to do with me? Why don't you just let this pervert fend for himself!"Megumin shrank back, feeling a bit guilty."No, only you can save him. You heard it just now; he has severe PTSD regarding beautiful women. Only the purest, gentlest love from a companion can cleanse his soul, which has been polluted by Sylvia."Haru lowered his voice and leaned into Megumin's ear, "So, for the time being, you have to be nice to him. No, you have to be very nice. For example, speak to him gently, or... if all else fails, offer your first kiss as a stimulant. I believe that with the blessing of a beautiful girl's first kiss, this guy will instantly revive at full health, and might even be able to take on the Demon King alone!""Huh?! First... first kiss?! Haru, has your brain been infected by Aqua?!"Megumin's face turned crimson, and steam was almost rising from the top of her head. She waved her staff wildly, "How could I possibly just give that to this scum? And why does it have to be me?! Isn't Aqua or Darkness here too?!""Aqua will only mock him, and Darkness will only cause him to have even stranger misunderstandings."Haru pointed expressionlessly at the goddess who was making faces at Kazuma, and the Crusader who was giggling to herself in a delusion, "Only you, Megumin. You are the companion he trusts the most, and his last hope."Kazuma, who had been lying like a corpse on the ground, twitched his ears sharply when he heard the words "first kiss."In his originally greyish-white pupils, a faint, miraculous glimmer of something called lust flashed by."First... first kiss?"Kazuma's voice was as thin as a mosquito, but he trembled and propped up his upper body, his dead fish eyes staring fixedly at Megumin, "If it's Megumin's first kiss... perhaps... perhaps it really could overwrite that terrifying secret Sylvia left behind..."Seeing Kazuma's scum-like expression of "as long as there's a reward, I can fight for another five hundred years," Megumin backed away three steps in fear, barely able to hold her staff."Hey! You revived way too fast! Was that look of despair just now an act?!"Megumin shouted in shame and anger, but seeing Kazuma's eyes, which had regained their spark but still held a trace of desolation, her heart softened again."...R-really, there's no helping you. Let's get this straight, a first kiss is absolutely out of the question! But... but if it's just treating you a little more gently... just for the safety of the village, I-I suppose I could consider it...""Oh oh oh! Kazuma, did you hear that! Meguminagreed to be gentle with you!" Haru fanned the flames from the side, "Quick, strike while the iron is hot, make her rub your shoulders or say 'Onii-chan, thanks for your hard work'!""Haru, you bastard! Don't push your luck!!"Megumin let out a shriek of shame and indignation, while Kazuma revealed a long-lost, lecherous grin typical of the scum of Axel, his whole body radiating a strange vitality.The air in the Crimson Demon Village's central square seemed to solidify at this moment.Megumin's ruby-like eyes flickered slightly. She lowered her head, her staff creaking in her grip. Just when Haru thought she was about to cast Explosion Magic on the spot to blast Kazuma into cosmic dust, she took a deep breath, and her tone became unprecedentedly gentle."Fine, since it's to save a companion, I'll reluctantly agree. But! Kazuma, you must close your eyes! Absolutely no peeking! If you dare to open your eyes even a slit, I'll use Explosion Magic to blast you and this village into the sky, do you hear me?!"Kazuma, who had been half-dead, straightened up instantly upon hearing this, his speed as if he had been injected with stimulants.He nodded frantically, his face, which had been full of despair, now blooming with an extremely disgusting, extremely lecherous, and even stray-dog-kicking-worthy smile of happiness."No problem! Absolutely no problem! I, Satou Kazuma, am a man who keeps his word! Come on, Megumin! I'm ready to embrace a new life!"With that, Kazuma closed his eyes with extreme cooperation, even slightly pursing his somewhat dry lips, looking like he was offering himself up for slaughter... ah no, offering himself up for a kiss.Haru was enjoying the show from the side, lamenting that Kazuma really was a guy who would sell his soul for a reward, when he suddenly felt a huge force coming from the side.Megumin's seemingly slender arm erupted with astonishing agility. She grabbed Haru by the back of his collar and shoved him with all her might toward Kazuma!"Go! This is the strongest healing spell of the Crimson Demon Clan!!"Megumin let out a shriek of successful mischief in Haru's ear."Ugh?!"Haru didn't even have time to cry out before he lost his balance due to momentum.The next second, the world seemed to freeze.Haru clearly felt his lips collide with something soft, yet slightly hard, and even a bit stubbly...And Kazuma, who was on the opposite side with his eyes closed and looking blissful, actually leaned forward and let out a grunt of extreme satisfaction."Th-this... my first kiss!! Why did I have to be so mouthy and suggest this!!"Haru roared in the depths of his soul, enough to shatter the heavens.He looked at Kazuma, who was close at hand with his eyes closed and looking intoxicated, and his stomach churned instantly. But in order not to make Kazuma go crazy on the spot (or rather, not to make this farce even more awkward), he forced himself to swallow the urge to scream.Their lips parted.Haru scrambled back five meters, leaned against a tree, and started spitting on the ground frantically, as if he wanted to scrub his tongue clean."Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! *Cough, cough!* Ugh... this taste... is this something a human would do?!"Haru spat while glaring with murderous eyes at Megumin, who was hiding in the distance, clutching her stomach and laughing until she was out of breath.On the other side, Satou Kazuma slowly opened his eyes. The haze brought by Sylvia was gone from his gaze, replaced by an unprecedented, extremely clear... light of perversion."Oh... oh oh... Megumin, I didn't expect your first kiss... to have such a heavy feeling, mixed with the sweat of an Adventurer and a rich masculine scent?"Kazuma touched his lips, sighing with intoxication, "Although it's a bit different from the fragrance of a beautiful girl I imagined, this... this sense of power that feels like it could shatter the soul, is truly worthy of the Crimson Demon Clan's number one Archwizard! I'm revived! I'm completely revived! Sylvia or whatever, that's nothing at all!!""Pfft, hahahahaha!!"Aqua finally couldn't hold it in anymore. She pointed at Haru, who was still spitting, and the happy Kazuma, rolling on the ground laughing until tears streamed down her face, "Kazuma! You idiot! You just kissed Lin—mmph, mmph, mmph!!"Haru moved with lightning speed, lunging forward to cover Aqua's mouth. He glared at her with a livid face and growled, "Shut up! Do you want both him and me to jump off a cliff right now?!"Darkness watched from the side, her eyes gleaming, her breathing rapid.
Chapter 169: Sylvia seems a bit pitifulHaru covered his mouth, his face deathly pale, wishing he could just explode on the spot.He refused to admit the accidental kiss that had just occurred, busy spitting frantically on the ground as if he wanted to vomit out his very soul."Ptooey! Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! What kind of hellish taste is this?! I swear, I've never tasted anything this disgusting in my entire life! It's a hundred times worse than Slime Slime!"While retching, Haru glared angrily at Megumin, yet he didn't dare to reveal the truth, fearing that Kazuma's fragile little heart might shatter again, and even more so, the awkwardness of the two of them locking eyes.However, Kazuma was completely immersed in his own fantasies.His dead fish eyes were shining with a radiance that didn't belong to a human, a strange curve hung on his lips, and from time to time, he would gently rub his lips with his hand, looking like he was savoring the memory."Ah... Megumin's kiss, it's really... it's just amazing!" Kazuma sighed affectionately, completely ignoring Haru's physical reaction. "Although it was a bit hard at first, and carried a whiff of... hmm, a rough scent of male hormones, that impact that struck straight to the soul, that domineering feeling that seemed like it would shatter my consciousness, it truly lives up to the kiss of the Crimson Demon Clan's number one Archwizard!"Haru had just taken a sip of water to rinse his mouth, and upon hearing this affectionate confession from Kazuma, he almost spat it out on the spot.He tried hard to suppress his churning stomach, decided to play deaf and dumb, and walked quickly toward the village entrance, pretending to check on the enemy situation."Also, that unique taste... hmm, how should I put it, it's a bit like sweat, dirt, and a little bit of... smelly socks? But that's exactly what's unique about Megumin! She's just like that; even her kiss carries a kind of uninhibited, wild beauty! I feel like my whole being has been sublimated!"Kazuma closed his eyes in intoxication, even taking a deep breath as if savoring that unique fragrance."Ugh..." This time, Haru really couldn't hold it back, letting out a distinct retching sound.He felt a wave of intense dizziness; this was even more despairing than being hunted down by a Demon King's Army General.Beside him, Aqua was already laughing so hard she couldn't stand straight, tears and snot streaming down her face. She pointed at Haru and Kazuma, letting out a pig-like cackle:"Hahaha, hahaha! Haru, look at Kazuma! He described your taste perfectly! Male hormones! Rough! Smelly socks! Hahahaha! As expected of Kazuma, this description is so accurate!"Megumin tried hard to keep a straight face, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up, and her eyes sparkled with the light of a successful prank.She cleared her throat and said to Kazuma, pretending to be serious:"Hmph, you guy, although you're an irredeemable pervert, your taste is not bad. My kiss, of course, is not something ordinary mortals can easily withstand. However, since you have felt the impact like Explosion Magic, please turn this power into the courage to protect the Crimson Demon Village!""Yes! Lady Megumin! I will definitely protect the Crimson Demon Village, protect you... and your kiss!"Kazuma was so moved that he was crying and snotting, as if he had instantly transformed from a useless Adventurer into the protagonist of a hot-blooded manga.He even clenched his fists and struck an extremely exaggerated pose, his eyes burning with flames named love and fanservice.Darkness was on the side, originally feeling regretful that she hadn't been able to participate in this shameful play, but after hearing Kazuma's description of the taste, her golden pupils instantly dilated, and her cheeks turned bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye.She tightly covered her mouth with both hands, her body trembling slightly, letting out strange "Mmm... mmm..." sounds.Haru had given up struggling at this point.He looked at this group of eccentric teammates and felt deeply as if he were in a large mental hospital.Just as Haru was preparing to explain things clearly at all costs to avoid this pervert from continuing to gross him out, the giant magic loudspeaker above the Crimson Demon Village suddenly emitted a shrill screeching sound."Hey, hey—testing, testing. Can you hear me? Attention villagers, I am the announcer from the village office."A female voice came from the loudspeaker, completely lacking any motivation, even carrying the lingering sound of a yawn,"Umm... although it's a hassle, it seems like a large number of the Demon King's Army have gathered at the village entrance. It's said that the leader claims to be a Demon King's Army General, called something like Sylvia or whatever, and is over there yelling about destroying the world. If there are any villagers who just finished bathing, or are just free and have nothing to do, please go to the village entrance and send them away. Ah, remember to bring an umbrella; it looks like it's going to rain later. That is all."The broadcast stopped abruptly, and the village fell into a momentary silence.Haru and Kazuma exchanged a look; their expressions reached an astonishing synchronization at that moment—it was the despairing, deadpan face that said, "This village is hopeless.""Hey... Haru, I didn't mishear that, did I?"Kazuma turned his head stiffly, the perverted blush from just a moment ago drained away in fear,"Go send them away? That's a Demon King's Army General, right?! The kind of terrifying existence that would massacre a city or make children stop crying just by existing, right?! Why does it sound like they're talking about stopping by a convenience store to buy a rice ball?!""Is this the Crimson Demon Village... This level of lack of crisis awareness is even more despairing than Aqua's IQ!"Haru finally stopped retching; he wiped his mouth and looked toward the village entrance with a complex expression."Hahahaha! Since a General has delivered themselves to our doorstep, isn't this the perfect time for this goddess to show off my skills?!"Aqua waved her staff excitedly; the energy she had from mocking Haru hadn't passed yet, and she was in a state of inexplicable excitement,"Watch me purify that Sylvia person into a puddle of sewage! Kazuma, Haru, hurry up and follow! If we go too late, maybe those bored villagers really will send them away!"Megumin's eyes lit up. Originally somewhat uneasy due to the awkwardness, she was now completely fired up:"A Demon King's Army General... Sylvia? Perfect, I also feel that if I don't find a loud target for today's Explosion Magic, it would be a disservice to the resolve I just had!"She said this while giving Kazuma a meaningful look, causing Kazuma to once again reveal that disgusting, lecherous grin."Mmm... A Demon King's Army General? Being trampled by such an evil existence, or being surrounded by countless Orcs or something..." Darkness had already started panting heavily, her hands gripping her own shoulders tightly, her face turning so red it was about to drip blood. "Hurry! Let's hurry to the village entrance! We absolutely cannot let the villagers beat us to it!"Haru looked at this group of teammates who were all harboring their own ulterior motives (and were all abnormal), and let out a deep sigh.Although he really wanted to escape from that pervert Kazuma, it seemed that only battle could wash away the memory of that nauseating first kiss for now.When the group hurried to the village entrance, the scene before their eyes refreshed Haru's perception once again.He saw dense ranks of Orcs and Undead legions lined up neatly outside the village, and the leader was indeed that extremely hot older sister figure with a revealing leather outfit and bright red long hair—the Demon King's Army General, the ChimeraSylvia.However, facing such a display, the villagers of the Crimson Demon Village..."Hey, General over there, your opening monologue is too long; can you skip it and just fight? I've still got potatoes stewing at home."A passing middle-aged woman of the Crimson Demon Clan, carrying a vegetable basket, shouted with an impatient look on her face."Exactly, exactly! That entrance pose just now was an 80, but the color of the background explosion smoke wasn't vibrant enough; it completely lacked soul!"Another Crimson Demon Clan youth in pajamas was gesturing wildly on the side.Sylvia was trembling with rage, her massive chest heaving up and down, and she roared angrily:"You bastards! Show some respect! I am a Demon King's Army General! I am Sylvia, who has come to destroy your village! Tremble! Wail!""Shut up! If you're going to fight, then fight!" the villagers retorted in unison.Haru twitched the corner of his mouth and whispered to Kazuma:"Kazuma... I suddenly feel that Sylvia seems a bit pitiful."
Chapter 170: Is this really a remote village that needs saving?Originally expecting a life-or-death battle, Haru had even steeled himself to fight to the bitter end, even with the lingering taste of Kazuma still in his mouth. However, the subsequent turn of events left everyone present, including Aqua, in a long, stunned silence.Sylvia was waving the magic sword in her hand, with countless Orcs roaring behind her, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.Yet, right at that moment, three incredibly sloppy-looking villagers of the Crimson Demon Clanstrolled to the front line."Hey, you guys, you're disturbing my laundry drying." The uncle in the undershirt spat out the toothpick in his mouth, his gaze sharp enough to seemingly slice through space."Wait! Before you make a move, hear our names!"The youth holding the corn suddenly tossed it into the air and twisted his body in a posture that defied all ergonomics."My name is Check Now! The Crimson Demon Clan's number one rhythm master, the man who wields the power of thunder and the beat! Tremble, you scum of the Demon Kings Army!""My name is... (yawn)... Sleepy, the Crimson Demon Clan's number one... Sleep Emperor. Anyone who disturbs my sleep, go eat dirt in your dreams." The young girl waved her finger lazily.Sylvia's eye twitched in anger: "Enough! You bunch of lunatics! Go to hell! All forces, charge—!!"Following Sylvia's order, thousands of monsters roared and charged toward the village entrance.However, facing an army force sufficient to destroy a small nation, those three villagers didn't even twitch an eyebrow."Photon Sword!""Hell Flame!""Binding Crystal Prison!"In an instant, countless dazzling rays of light, scorching flames, and deep blue crystal pillars poured out from the hands of these three villagers as if they were mass-produced goods that cost nothing. The aggressive vanguard of the Demon Kings Army evaporated into thin air the moment they touched the magic, not even having time to let out a scream.Rumble—!!A massive explosion echoed through the sky. After the smoke cleared, a giant crater several meters deep appeared on the once-level ground.The army Sylvia brought had shrunk by a third after that casual strike."W-what is this?!" Kazuma, holding a short sword ready for a sneak attack, was completely petrified. "That was Advanced Magic, right? It definitely was! Why are they using it like they're watering plants? Hey, Haru, what were we thinking, fighting for our lives for?"Haru looked at the youth who was still eating the grilled corn, his mouth twitching wildly: "Don't ask me, Kazuma. I just feel that the only reason the Demon Kings Army hasn't been wiped out is because the people of the Crimson Demon Villageare too much of homebodies and are too lazy to leave. This isn't a war, this is high-level players spawn-camping in the newbie zone!""Heh, this is the Crimson Demon Clan." Meguminstood with her hands on her hips. Although she hadn't managed to steal the spotlight, her face was full of pride. "In our village, people who can't use Advanced Magic don't even qualify to work as dishwashers at the tavern!""You're lying! Then what is the meaning of my existence?!"Aqua watched the Undead being purified in an instant and suddenly felt an unprecedented career crisis: "With this kind of efficiency, even this goddess is going to be unemployed!"Sylvia was currently standing at the edge of the crater, watching her proud army being swatted like flies by a group of villagers in pajamas, falling into deep self-doubt."Impossible... This is impossible! I am a Demon Kings Army General! I am the Chimera Sylvia! You bastards, take this seriously—!!"Sylvia let out a mournful roar, but the response she got was a [Fireball] casually tossed by another passing child of the Crimson Demon Clan.At the smoke-filled village entrance, the once aggressive Demon Kings Army had now become a group of losers left in the wind.Sylvia looked at her legion, which had shrunk by more than half, and then looked at the Crimson Demon Clan uncle opposite her, who was squatting on the ground studying ants as if he weren't the one who had just casually thrown a Hell Flame. She finally completely broke down.Just then, an unexpectedly touching scene occurred.Several Orc generals, covered in soot and missing limbs, lunged at Sylvia's feet and shouted in a tragic tone comparable to an opera protagonist: "General! Run! We will hold them off here! You must survive, return to the Demon Kings Castle and tell everyone... the people of the Crimson Demon Village are not human, they are monsters in human skin—!!""That's right! General, you are the hope of the Chimera, you cannot fall in this godforsaken place where even the broadcasters want to go home and eat potatoes! Go! Run—!!"Those monsters actually held hands to form a physical line of defense, each of their eyes filled with a desperate determination to die. Some Undeadwere even adding self-destruct magic to themselves, attempting to use their final spark to light the way for their general's escape.Sylvia's eyes were red. Although she was a Chimera, she was moved by this simple loyalty from her subordinates.She gritted her teeth, took one last deep look at the Crimson Demon Clan youth who was still eating his grilled corn, and issued a shrill curse: "You remember this! I, Sylvia, will definitely be back! You lunatics of the Crimson Demon Village, and that guy over there, just you wait! I will never let you off—!!"After saying that, Sylvia turned into a red streak of light and disappeared into the distant horizon under the cover of her subordinates' tragic self-destruction.The villagers of the Crimson Demon Village just patted the dust off their bodies."Ah, she ran away." That uncle in the undershirt scratched the back of his head with a look of regret. "Should've used teleportation to stab her in the back earlier. Too bad, my laundry is almost dry.""Forget it, forget it. This kind of sideshow happens a few times a month anyway, I'm used to it." The youth holding the corn took a bite and walked back, uninterested.Haru and Satou Kazuma, who had witnessed the whole thing, were now completely speechless. Their bodies were as stiff as two stone statues, as if they would crumble into dust with a gust of wind.Kazuma slowly turned his head. The excitement from before was gone from his dead-fish eyes, replaced by a sense of detachment from the world and an extreme desire for survival. He reached out a trembling hand and grabbed Haru's arm tightly."Haru... I suddenly feel that defeating the Demon King, returning to Japan, a girl's first kiss... none of that is important anymore."Kazuma's voice was so faint it sounded like he was running out of breath. "How about we... live the rest of our lives here? I think this is the safest place in the world. As long as we don't leave the village, even the Demon King would lose a layer of skin if he came here."Haru swallowed hard. He looked at the Crimson Demon Clan child who was using Advanced Magicto build a slide for himself, and then thought about the terrified expression on Sylvia's face when she was running away, and gripped Kazuma's hand firmly and sincerely."You're right, Kazuma. I agree. Here, even if we perform that perverted show of kissing in the square every day, the villagers would probably just critique our form for not being 'chuunibyou' enough, and we'd never be in any real danger. This... is truly a paradise for losers and shut-ins."In that moment, the two reached a sort of spiritual resonance.They finally clearly recognized the strength of the Crimson Demon Village—where is this a remote village that needs saving?This is clearly a forbidden zone that the Demon Kings Army avoids and even the gods get a headache from.
Chapter 171 Magic KillerJust as Haru and Satou Kazuma were holding hands, having reached a loser's consensus to hide out in this monster-filled village until the end of time, dust kicked up in the distance. A girl with long black hair and an unscientifically developed figure came running over, panting heavily."Huff... huff... Megumin! Megumin! It's bad! Something terrible has happened!"Yunyun waved her hands as she ran, her ample chest heaving up and down with the vigorous movement, causing a glint of what could only be described as a man's true nature to instantly flash in Kazuma's otherwise listless, dead-fish eyes.Haru's eyelid twitched, and he thought to himself, 'What is this now? Did Sylvia come back for a surprise attack?'Yunyun finally reached them. She braced herself against her knees, breathing heavily, her face full of anxiety:"The seal... the seal has loosened! The ultimate weapon in the forbidden area behind the village... its seal is emitting an ominous red light! If this continues, the entire world will be plunged into a crisis of destruction, s-so... could you please help?"Haru and Satou Kazuma exchanged a glance and asked in unison, "Ultimate weapon?""Hey, Yunyun." Kazuma rubbed his nose, looking at her suspiciously. "In your village, any random uncle hanging laundry can cast Advanced Magic. Why on earth would a place like this need an ultimate weapon? Is that thing meant to destroy the galaxy?"Haru swallowed hard and added, "It wouldn't be one of those forbidden-tier items that blows up the entire planet like a roasted sweet potato the moment it's activated, would it? If it's something like that, I think it would be safer for us to just run back to Axel."Just as the two were preparing to slip away, Megumin, who had been silent until now, suddenly let out a cold laugh.She swept her cloak aside, held her eyepatch with her right hand, and elegantly pointed her left hand toward the sky, radiating a suffocating chuunibyou aura."Hehehe, ignorant mortals. Since you have asked with such sincerity, I shall make an exception and reveal a glimpse of this taboo to you!"Megumin stepped forward, the dust under her feet swirling up as if intimidated by her (self-proclaimed) violent magical power."Listen well! That is the ultimate taboo created by our ancestors of the Crimson Demon Clan in ancient times, capable of slaying gods and demons! Its name is Magikura, the world-ending thunder that devours all magic and brings an end to all civilization! It is sealed within eternal nothingness, bound by chains woven from countless curses. Once it opens those eyes that have slept for ten thousand years, the sky will turn blood red, the earth will shatter into fragments, and even those idiot goddesses in the God Realm will be scared enough to wet themselves!"Aqua, who had been picking her nose on the sidelines, heard the last sentence and shouted indignantly, "Hey! Who are you saying will wet themselves! This kind of setup sounds like it's meant to trick little kids; this goddess wouldn't be scared by it! However... if it's actually fun, I suppose I could reluctantly go and purify it.""In any case!" Megumin completely ignored Aqua, her eyes flashing with fanatical light. "That is the super, super ultimate weapon of destruction that can only be controlled by a great person with the highest IQ who possesses the noble blood of our Crimson Demon Clan! Haru, Kazuma, you should feel honored, because you are about to witness a moment that will rewrite history!"Haru looked at Megumin, who seemed about to burst into flames, and then at the expectant Yunyun. His mouth couldn't help but twitch. "These lines... you definitely just made them up on the spot, right? And an 'ultimate weapon' in a place like the Crimson Demon Village... I have a feeling it's going to be something completely ridiculous..."Kazuma rubbed his chin, his eyes revealing a trace of greed. "Sounds pretty badass. Haru, if we can get our hands on that thing, could we really do whatever we want in this world? By then, never mind the Demon Kings Army; even having Aquaserve me tea and water every day wouldn't be just a dream!""What kind of rude things are you thinking about! Kazuma! Careful, or I'll curse you so you never get to kiss a girl for the rest of your life!" Aqua waved her fists angrily.Kazuma sneered and subconsciously touched his lips, muttering under his breath, "Hmph, I've already kissed Megumin. Even though the taste was a bit weird, it was still an Explosion Kiss..."Haru's stomach churned again as he listened from the side. He quickly interrupted, "Alright, alright! Since Yunyun has asked for help, let's go and see what the hell this so-called ultimate weapon actually is! Besides, if we're going to stay here and retire, we need a stable environment, don't we?"Passing through the winding mountain path behind the village—which was covered in various chuunibyou graffiti, such as 'Here lies the seal of my right hand's black dragon'—the group finally arrived in front of an ancient ruin sealed by a massive metal door.Yunyun stood before the door and took a deep breath, her expression becoming more serious than ever before.She adjusted the non-existent glasses on the bridge of her nose and pointed to the intricate patterns on the door. "Actually, this is the Crimson Demon Clan's highest secret, and the taboo weapon sealed by generations of village chiefs: Magic Killer. It has only one function: to forcibly nullify all magic within a vast range by releasing a special wave. No matter how powerful an Advanced Magic spell or a holy miracle may be, it will be instantly extinguished in its presence."Haru's eyelids twitched wildly as he listened, and he instinctively glanced at Aqua, who was waving her staff around aimlessly nearby."Magic nullification?" Satou Kazuma was also stunned. He rubbed his chin, his usual 'lecherous expression' uncharacteristically replaced by a moment of calm. "Hey, Haru, did you hear that? This thing is practically the bane of the Crimson Demon Clan! Even though every member of the Crimson Demon Clan is a max-level expert, they're all mages, right? Once this thing is activated, wouldn't those uncles and aunties instantly become ordinary people who can only swing their grocery baskets around?""I see." Haru nodded, a look of sudden realization on his face. "No wonder the Demon Kings Army has their eyes on this place. Once they seize this Magic Killer, that Crimson Demon Village—where they spend all day blowing up fish at the village entrance—would become the Demon Kings Army's backyard. However..."Haru looked around at the Crimson Demon villagers, who were strolling around leisurely—some even setting up stalls to sell roasted sweet potatoes at the entrance of the ruins—and sighed helplessly. "The Demon Kings Army's idea is nice, but reality is cruel. Given that Sylvia was scared off by a single Fireball earlier, can they really even make it into this building?"Kazuma nodded in deep agreement and patted Haruon the shoulder. "You're right. The defenses here are thicker than Aqua's skin. I think we should stop worrying about the world being destroyed and just ask Yunyun if there are any hot springs nearby that can wash away a certain smell."Haru was about to reply, but his gaze inadvertently swept over a hidden hillside behind the ruins. In the dense bushes, something with a metallic luster caught his attention. "Is that... a pair of binoculars?"
Chapter 172: The Iron Rod That Doesn't GlowHaru rubbed his eyes, confirming he wasn't seeing things. On that forbidden hillside, which was supposed to be filled with a murderous atmosphere and sealing away the ultimate weapon, there was actually a large, astronomical-grade telescope set up, crafted with exquisite detail and even sporting a "Do Not Touch" label."Hey, Yunyun..." Haru pointed at the telescope, his voice trembling. "You said this was a forbidden area, right? A serious place that seals away the Magic Killer capable of destroying the world? Then what is that thing that looks like equipment specifically for a peeping tom?"Yunyun's face turned bright red instantly. She fidgeted with her fingers, her eyes darting around. "Th-that... that is for monitoring the movements of the Demon Kings Army! That's right, it was specially set up as a long-range reconnaissance terminal to keep track of the evil forces' invasion intelligence at all times!"Just then, an old man from the Crimson Demon Clan, wearing a loose bathrobe and carrying a jug of wine, strolled slowly past them.Hearing Yunyun's words, he couldn't help but interject: "Yo, isn't this Yunyun? Bringing friends to visit our village's most famous 'Demon Kings CastleVIP Seat' again? The weather is nice today, and visibility is high, so you should be able to see it very clearly.""O-Old man! Please don't talk nonsense! We are discussing a serious sealing issue!"Yunyun was so anxious she was about to cry.Haru and Satou Kazuma exchanged a glance, a feeling of extreme foreboding rising in their hearts."Demon Kings Castle VIP Seat?" Kazuma raised an eyebrow, his tone filled with a sharp sense of gossip.The old man chuckled and pointed at the telescope, saying proudly: "This is the pride of our Crimson Demon Clan! Through this specially made magic telescope, you can cross half the continent and clearly see the inside of the Demon Kings Castle. The most popular channel lately is the Demon King's daughter's afternoon tea. If you're lucky, you can even see the Demon King's daughter changing clothes or practicing evil dances in her room! That's the only entertainment our village's men have."Silence. Deathly silence.Haru felt as if his worldview had been bombarded by Explosion Magic, shattered until not even a scrap remained."...So, the reason the Demon Kings Army is desperate to attack the Crimson Demon Village, besides that Magic Killer, couldn't part of the reason be that you bastards are peeping at their daughter every day?!" Haru finally couldn't help but roar, "This isn't a battle between justice and evil at all; this is purely the victim launching a crusade against a village of perverted peeping toms!""What?! The Demon King's daughter's room?!"Just as Haru was feeling heartbroken, Satou Kazuma beside him suddenly let out a low growl like a beast.A fire of desire, bright enough to illuminate the night, instantly ignited in his dead fish eyes. He rushed toward the telescope at a speed that transcended human limits."Move aside! Let me! As a righteous Adventurer, I have an obligation to confirm whether the Demon Kings Army is conducting any evil rituals! Leave this arduous reconnaissance mission to me, who possesses EX-rank luck!"While shouting high-sounding reasons, Kazuma had already pressed his eyes tightly against the eyepiece. Because he used too much force, the muscles in his face were distorted."Hey! Kazuma! You hopeless piece of trash pervert!" Aqua jumped in anger. "This kind of good stuff... no, this kind of evil prop, how dare you not let this goddess purify it first! Move aside, let this goddess see if there is any high-quality liquor hidden in the Demon Kings Castle!""Oohhh! I see it! I really see it!" Kazuma let out a perverted scream. "Although it's a bit blurry, that pink curtain... that girl rolling around while hugging a doll... could that be the Demon King's daughter? So cute! Where is this the incarnation of evil? This is clearly an angel! Haru! Come look!""Get lost! Who wants to look at that!"Although Haru said that, looking at Kazuma's intoxicated appearance, as well as the eager Aquaand the embarrassed Yunyun nearby, he suddenly felt that the loosening of the village's seal might not be a crisis at all, but rather an excuse made up by these Crimson Demon Clan members because they were bored of the Demon King's daughter channel and wanted to try something new.Just as Satou Kazuma was stuck to the telescope like a shut-in who hadn't seen a girl in eight lifetimes, Megumin suddenly stood out with a serious face, a gleam of something called "fashion obsession" flashing in her eye covered by an eyepatch."Enough! You guys who indulge in low-level interests! Since you have come to the Crimson Demon Village, how can you not pay homage to the soul attire of our Crimson Demon Clan? My cape got dusty in the previous battle, so I need to go to the shop to pick out a new one. Haru, Kazuma, as my subordinates, you must provide the most sincere aesthetic advice!"Although Haru really wanted to retort "Who is your subordinate?", looking at Kazuma, who looked like he was about to have a cerebral hemorrhage from over-excitement, he felt that taking him away from this crime scene was indeed a good idea.Thus, amidst some shoving and Kazuma's pig-like wailing, the group was led by Megumin to the clothing store in the center of the village.Pushing open the shop door, Haru and Satou Kazuma's expressions froze instantly.The shelves inside the store were neatly hung with uniform black capes.The row on the left was black with red trim, the row on the right was black with dark gold trim, and the row in the middle was pure black.Besides that, whether it was the cut, the length, or the design of the collar, they were all exactly the same."How is it? This is the painstaking work of the Crimson Demon Village's top designer!" Meguminspread her arms, intoxicated in this sea of black. "This one is filled with the aura of chaos, that one contains the rhythm of destruction... ah, it's really hard to choose!"Kazuma's mouth twitched as he picked up two capes to compare them: "Hey, Haru, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Besides the dust distribution, what is the difference between these two? Does the tailor in this village only know how to copy and paste?!"Haru sighed and was just about to comfort Kazumaby saying he should get used to it, when his gaze inadvertently swept toward the back of the shop.There, the shopkeeper was busy hanging a few freshly washed capes on a clothesline pole that spanned the ceiling.That pole was pitch black, exuding a cold metallic luster. It had a strange circular hole at the front, a perfect shoulder rest structure at the back, and even an extremely exquisite trigger guard in the middle.Haru's pupils constricted, and he almost jumped up."H-hey, hey, hey! Kazuma! Look at that clothesline pole!" Haru pointed upwards with trembling fingers. "If I'm not mistaken, the design of that thing... isn't it a bit too hardcore?!"Kazuma looked over in the direction indicated. His face, which had been full of disgust, instantly turned pale, and then immediately turned into ecstasy: "Holy crap?! That's a rifle, right?! Definitely a rifle! And this size... it's anti-materiel rifle level, right?! Why is such a weapon of mass destruction being used as a clothesline pole in a clothing store!!"The shopkeeper noticed their gaze and casually patted the clothesline pole, which made a crisp metallic clanking sound: "Oh, you mean this? This is an antique passed down from my grandfather's generation. Although it looks a bit strange, it has the advantage of being long and hard enough that it won't bend even if you hang dozens of wet capes on it. Why, do you want a clothesline pole like this too? It's not for sale, though.""Who wants a clothesline pole! That's an ultimate weapon that could blow me to pieces with one shot!" Kazuma stomped his feet in anxiety and shouted at Megumin, "Megumin! Tell me! Is this thing also one of your village's ultimate weapons?!"Megumin glanced sideways at the rifle hung with underwear and capes, and snorted disdainfully: "What kind of silly things are you saying, Kazuma. That's just an iron rod that doesn't glow. In the Crimson Demon Village, items that cannot release flashy magic are all trash. That kind of boring thing that can only shoot out iron lumps is only treated as a treasure by untalented, ordinary people."Looking at the modern weapon being used as a piece of junk, and then looking at the room full of chuunibyou Crimson Demon Clan members, Haruhad only one thought in his heart: The people of this village are really running faster than anyone else on the path of wasting precious things!
Chapter 173: The Contra 30-Life Cheat Code!Late at night, the tranquility of Crimson Demon Village was broken by a lethargic broadcast."Attention, villagers, ahem, the Demon Kings Armyis here to throw their lives away again. Repeating, the Demon Kings Army is attacking once more. Those who want to farm experience, please gather at the village entrance. Those who don't want to go, please just roll over and go back to sleep; after all, you still have laundry to hang tomorrow morning."Haru rubbed his sleepy eyes and pushed open the door, only to find Satou Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness already gathered in a scattered group in the courtyard of Yunyun's house.Occasional explosions echoed from the distance; that was just the Crimson Demon Clan villagers using Advanced Magic as bedtime fireworks."Yawn... Is it the Demon Kings Army again?" Kazuma let out a long yawn, eye boogers still clinging to the corners of his eyes. "Hey, Haru, should we go help? Although I feel like even if we go, we'll just be background characters who can't even steal any kills."Haru watched as a few Crimson Demon Clanaunties, wearing pajamas and carrying staves, sauntered toward the village entrance, and waved his hand helplessly:"Forget it, Kazuma. Given the combat power of these villagers, if the Demon Kings Army enters, they'll probably just end up as a snack or experimental material for them. Let's just go back to sleep.""I agree." Megumin hugged her staff and ducked back into the house without looking back. "A minor situation like this wouldn't even be worth the attention of my nemesis, Yunyun. Right, Yunyun?""Although I really want to say 'leave it to me,' it's true... everyone seems quite used to it."Yunyun smiled awkwardly.Just as everyone turned to disperse and head back to their rooms, a sudden change occurred!A burst of viscous red mist, carrying a nauseatingly sweet scent, instantly enveloped the courtyard.Haru felt the ground beneath his feet suddenly become as soft as a swamp, and immediately after, countless dark red, slimy, tentacle-like objects covered in suckers burst wildly from the shadows!"What the hell is this?! Tentacles?! Is this what I've been dreaming of... Wait, no! Let me go!!"Before Satou Kazuma could even display that perverted look of anticipation, he was tightly bound by an indescribable mass of red flesh and violently yanked into the air.Haru did not escape unscathed either.He felt an extremely bizarre sensation—the thing felt both like warm skin and cold rubber, tightly constricting his waist and arms, forcibly lifting him into mid-air, where he was hung side-by-side with Kazuma, who had also been hoisted up."Hehehe... I've finally caught you, you two despicable otherworlders who have desecrated my pure heart!"The red mist dissipated, and a figure slowly emerged, fusing the characteristics of various monsters, with an excessively hot body that radiated a terrifying pressure.Sylvia had completely broken free from the Bind at this point; she spread her arms and stared at Haruand Kazuma with a look that was both sick and fanatical."Sylvia?! You actually infiltrated?!"Sylvia sneered, her seductive lips curling slightly as she extended that indescribable long tongue, feinting a lick near Haru and Kazuma's cheeks:"Did you think you'd be safe hiding in the Crimson Demon Village? Now... both of you are my trophies! I'm going to take you back to the Demon Kings Castle, turn you into the most exquisite specimens, and keep you by my bedside every day, so you can repent for what you did for all eternity!!""Wait! Ms. Sylvia!" Satou Kazuma struggled desperately within the viscous Bind, his face turning beet red. "If you want us to repent, can't we choose a gentler method? For example... Eh? Wait, Haru, do you feel that? The thing wrapping around us... isn't its texture a bit... too hard?"Haru was currently being tightly choked by one of Sylvia's tentacles; he struggled to turn his head to look at Kazuma, then looked at Sylvia's bizarre, half-man-half-woman body structure, and was plunged into a massive mental shock."Kazuma... if you're talking about that extra part... I feel it too. This isn't just 'indescribable' anymore; this is a major crisis in the literal physical sense!!"A twisted sense of pleasure appeared on Sylvia's alluring face; she could feel the two men wrapped in her tentacles trembling slightly—though that was more due to mental shock than fear.She suddenly tightened that shockingly hard tentacle and let out a shrill scream:"All of you, back off! Especially you, the brat with the staff! And that blubbering Archpriest! If any of you dare to move, or try to chant even half a syllable, I will immediately grind these two into pulp! Oh, wait, no, I'll use my perfect body first to let them experience what true bliss is before they stop breathing!"Megumin, who had been planning to fight to the death, and Aqua, who was about to cast Purification, froze instantly.Darkness, however, was blushing furiously, her breathing ragged as she took a small step forward:"Th-that kind of bliss... if it's possible, please, by all means, let me take their place...""Shut up! Don't get horny at a time like this!" Satou Kazuma roared with a sob, his body pressed tightly against Sylvia's bizarre torso. "Haru! Help! Something keeps poking my lower back! It's moving! It's really moving!!"Haru closed his eyes, forcing himself not to think about what that might be.Sylvia let out a wild laugh, and her lower snake-like body exerted sudden force, carrying the two captives as they turned into a red blur, rushing straight toward the ruins gate behind the mountain.In an instant, they had returned to the metal gate inscribed with Magic Killer runes.Sylvia threw Haru and Kazuma heavily onto the ground, but the tentacles remained locked tightly around their necks.She turned around to face the closed gate, her brows furrowed, revealing a troubled expression.Embedded in the center of the gate was a glowing stone slab; it wasn't some complex magic circle, but a neat row of rectangular buttons with a certain industrial aesthetic.Above the buttons, a line of ancient text was inscribed that looked like heavenly script to the people of this other world."Damn it... Is this the legendary seal password?" Sylvia gritted her teeth, her fingers hovering hesitantly over the buttons. "Those Crimson Demon Clan lunatics actually set such a critical thing as a physical lock. What does the ancient incantation above actually say? My True Name? Or the Overture to Destruction?"Haru and Satou Kazuma lay on the ground side-by-side, their gazes falling on the stone slab simultaneously.In that instant, the air seemed to freeze.Haru rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating due to lack of oxygen.What was inscribed there wasn't some incantation at all, but standard Japanese Katakana.The prompt above read: [ Please enter administrator command to disable safe mode ].And on that row of buttons, the corresponding characters were: [ ↑ ] [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] [ ↓ ] [ ← ] [ → ] [ ← ] [ → ] [ B ] [ A ]."Hey, Haru." Kazuma's originally pale face suddenly turned extremely strange; he lowered his voice, his tone conveying a sense of absurdity that spanned across time and space. "Did you see that? That... that ancient incantation.""Yeah, I saw it." Haru nodded with dead eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, the predecessor who created this ultimate weapon was definitely a hopeless hardcore gamer. This isn't some password for destroying the world; this is the freaking Contra 30-life cheat code!!""The fact that this appears in such a situation, I'm actually not even surprised." Kazuma sighed, then a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes. "However... since only we know this password, does that mean we now hold control over this weapon? Haru, should we tell this big-breasted (with a package) girl?"Sylvia was still there scratching her head, even attempting to break it by force, only to have her arm numbed by the electric light rebounding from the gate.She turned around in a fit of rage and roared at the two of them:"You two! Since you are reincarnated, you must know what it means! Translate it for me immediately! Otherwise, I will shove this tentacle into your mouths!!"
Chapter 174: Chimera SylviaSylvia's tentacle, covered in slime and growing increasingly suspicious in hardness, was frantically probing at the lips of Haru and Satou Kazuma. The oppressive feeling, carrying a sweet and fishy stench, made their souls almost leave their bodies."I'll talk! I'll talk! Just get that thing away from us!!"Haru and Satou Kazuma let out heart-wrenching screams almost simultaneously; at this moment, their desire to survive triumphed over all their dignity as reincarnated individuals.Kazuma, tears streaming down his face, shouted frantically, "Listen up! That's the ancient Dance of Life! The button sequence is: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A! Press it! Please, just press it already!"Sylvia paused. Although she felt this sequence of commands sounded utterly devoid of dignity, seeing the two of them looking like they were about to go insane with fear, she hesitantly extended her slender (and lethal) finger and, following their instructions, tapped rapidly on the stone slab.[ ↑ ] [ ↑ ] [ ↓ ] [ ↓ ] [ ← ] [ → ] [ ← ] [ → ] [ B ] [ A ]"Ding—!!"A crisp, pleasant electronic sound, even carrying a hint of 8-bit pixel style, rang out in the quiet mountain behind them. Immediately after, the incredibly heavy metal door, which could even reflect Advanced Magic, actually slid open to the sides accompanied by a cheerful standby melody."Hahahaha! It worked! As expected, it's a forbidden incantation that only reincarnated people understand!"Sylvia laughed wildly, flicking her tentacle violently, and threw Haru and Kazuma into the bushes nearby like trash.She stood before the door, turned back, and revealed a cruel yet seductive smile: "You two stay here and don't move! Once I get the Magic Killer and turn those Crimson Demon Clan lunatics into useless cripples, I'll come back and take you to the Demon Kings Castle... At that time, I will use this perfect body of mine, which fuses the advantages of a hundred monsters, to love you well, deeply, and day and night!"With that, Sylvia swayed her blood-pumping (and hair-raising) lower body and rushed into the depths of the pitch-black ruins without looking back.One second. Two seconds.Confirming that Sylvia's figure had completely disappeared around the corner of the passage, Haruand Satou Kazuma, who had been lying on the ground playing dead, simultaneously sprang up with a kip-up.The two exchanged a glance. Without any verbal communication, they displayed a rapport that surpassed that of twins."Quick, quick, quick! Close the door!!"Haru and Kazuma rushed toward the door with all their might, frantically mashing buttons on the stone slab.Following a prompt sound indicating the system was rebooting, the metal door let out a heavy roar and locked shut, tightly sealed."Hoo... hoo... we did it..." Haru leaned against the cold door, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and suddenly burst into an extremely villainous laugh. "Hahahaha! That idiot! Doesn't she know that for this kind of old-fashioned ruin door, once it's locked from the outside, the people inside can't get out at all unless they have a Dimensional Array?!"Kazuma also revealed his signature scum smile and gave the door a fierce middle finger: "Go to hell! You perverted Chimera! You can spend your whole life in there holding your Magic Killer! When you're starved to skin and bones, let's see if that perfect body of yours can still poke anyone! Haru, we are so brilliant! This is the dimensional reduction strike of a high-IQ player against a brain-dead executive!""Exactly! This is what they call beating a dog behind closed doors—no, wait, trapping a beast behind closed doors!!" Haru high-fived Kazuma excitedly. "Let's go, Kazuma! While the Demon Kings Army is still getting beaten up by the uncles and aunties at the village entrance, let's hurry back and catch some sleep. We'll come back tomorrow morning to collect her corpse... or just weld this door shut and turn it into a new attraction for the Crimson Demon Village!"Just as the two were congratulating each other, feeling as if they had saved the world, a voice filled with confusion drifted from the depths of the ruins: Sylvia's voice. "Hey! Why are there plugs and wires everywhere in here? Is that thing that looks like a giant microwave the Magic Killer?! Why is there a warning label on it that says'Strictly Prohibited: Do Not Overload'?!"Haru and Satou Kazuma hadn't even walked ten steps before the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently without warning.The vibration didn't feel like an earthquake; it felt more like some ancient beast that had been sleeping for a thousand years was being forcibly plugged into a power source, letting out an angry, low-frequency roar."Hey, hey, hey! Haru! Did that busty girl inside just say plugs and a microwave?"Satou Kazuma's expression instantly shifted from his scum laughter to a pale look of impending doom. He spun around and looked at the ruin door, which was now emitting an eerie blue light. "In a place like the Crimson Demon Village, words like 'microwave' usually mean some black technology capable of blowing everything within a ten-mile radius into ash, right?!""Run! That's not a microwave at all; that's an overloaded Magic absorption device!!"Haru let out a scream, grabbed Kazuma, and sprinted down the mountain.Just then, the ruins behind them let out a metallic tearing sound capable of piercing eardrums."Bastards... you two swindlers! How dare you lock me in such a crude iron shell! Since you want the Magic Killer, then I'll give myself and it to you together!!"Sylvia's voice, filled with rage and twisted pleasure, resounded through the sky.Accompanied by an earth-shattering explosion, the entire ancient ruin, built from special alloys, was forcibly blown apart from the inside!Countless metal fragments scattered everywhere like meteors, and a figure, huge to the point of despair, slowly stood up from the ruins.It was Sylvia.But at this moment, she was no longer just a simple Chimera.Her body had completely fused with that massive Magic Killer device covered in cables and antennas.Huge heat sinks flashing with red light grew from her back, her hands transformed into heavy Magic cannons, and the snake body of her lower half was coiled around countless humming gear structures."Oh my god! A Gundam! It's a fleshy, perverted Gundam!!"Satou Kazuma wailed from the depths of his soul while running.The two ran for their lives toward the village entrance, running straight into Aqua and her group, who were rushing over with lanterns, as well as a few Crimson Demon Clan villagers wearing pajamas and holding half-eaten roasted sweet potatoes."Haru! Kazuma! Are you two okay?!" Yunyun shouted anxiously. Then, her gaze landed on the towering steel monster behind the two, and she froze, completely petrified. "Th-that... could that be the... perfect form of the Magic Killer sealed by our ancestors?!""This isn't the time for a history lesson! Help us!!" Kazuma pointed trembling toward the back. "That busty girl has evolved into the final boss! She's coming back to love us!!"Aqua looked at the steel demon god radiating an aura of taboo, so scared that the staff in her hand fell, and she burst into tears: "Waaaaah! What kind of monster is that?! It looks so tough! Is Purification Magic even useful? Haru, let's hurry back to Axel. The Crimson Demon Village is doomed; we're going to be turned into specimens!"Megumin, however, stared at Sylvia with fanatical eyes, her right hand trembling as she held her eyepatch. Her tone was filled with a morbid excitement: "Oh, oh oh... Is this the greatest masterpiece of our ancestors? This metallic texture filled with a sense of destruction, this fluctuation that devours all magic... Kazuma, let go of me! I want to carve my strongest blow into the center of that big guy!!"PS: I've been busy lately, please bear with me!!! The upcoming content will be even more exciting!!!
Chapter 175: The Sense of Shame Has Surpassed the Fear of DeathLooking at the steel monster that towered like a mountain, covered in cables and glowing red, the Crimson Demon Clan villagers, who had previously been so calm they were even discussing aesthetics, finally put down their sweet potatoes."Hmph, although you have grown in size, in front of us, the Crimson Demon Clan, you are nothing more than a piece of scrap metal that is slightly more resistant to burning!"The man wearing a monocle, who claimed to be the second genius of the village, elegantly adjusted his glasses and waved his staff. "Witness this! The extreme cold capable of freezing the soul—Cursed Ice Crystal!"Immediately after, several middle-aged women nearby wearing silk pajamas also struck cool poses, chanting spells that would make ordinary Adventurers wet their pants:"Oh, destructive crimson lotus, obey my command! Hellfire!"In an instant, colorful Advanced Magic, like cheap fireworks, rained down upon Sylvia's massive steel frame.Haru and Satou Kazuma instinctively crouched on the ground, covering their heads, waiting for the aftermath of the explosion that would be enough to topple a mountain.However, the expected roar did not occur.When those powerful spells touched the faint red ripple around Sylvia's body, they were like clay oxen entering the sea; they were instantly decomposed and absorbed, finally turning into faint electric sparks that dissipated along the heat sinks on Sylvia's back."Eh?" The Crimson Demon Clan man, who had been full of confidence just a moment ago, froze. He swung his staff desperately, only to find that the mana in the air was being frantically drained by the monster. "My mana... my mana is gone?! This, this is illogical! We are the Crimson Demon Clan!""Hahahaha! It's useless! It's useless!!"Sylvia let out a deafening roar of laughter. The massive core in her chest, which looked like a microwave, was emitting a high-frequency buzzing sound,"This is the Magic Killer! It is the nemesis born to end you magic users! Your mana has now all become my fuel!!"Sylvia suddenly opened her giant mouth, which had transformed into a metallic texture, and a chilling orange-red light flickered deep in her throat."As a return gift for those fireworks just now, please accept my... Fiery Kiss!!"Boom!!A massive torrent of flames, seemingly capable of burning through space, surged out from Sylvia's mouth, instantly covering half of the village.Those exquisitely crafted Crimson Demon Clanhouses, plastered with various chuunibyou slogans, were like paper at this moment, quickly swallowed by the flames."Waah! My house! My cape that I haven't dried yet!!" The middle-aged man, who had been calm just a moment ago, began running around in a panic, holding his head."Help! Put out the fire! Someone, hurry up and cast a water spell... No, wait, I can't gather any mana at all!!"Haru watched as the village, which had been full of exotic charm, instantly turned into a sea of fire. Even the beautiful fence at Yunyun's house was reduced to ashes in the flames, and he felt completely numb."Kazuma... I think the biggest mistake we made just now was not welding that door shut."Haru wiped the black soot from his face, watching as Sylvia took heavy steps, crushing building after building into fragments,"Great, now the Crimson Demon Village is going to become the Braised Crimson Village.""Is this the time for snide remarks?!"Satou Kazuma grabbed Haru by the collar and shook him violently, pointing at the massive steel Sylvia walking toward them,"She's coming! The way she's looking at us is like she wants to eat us alive! Haru! Think of something, quick!"Aqua knelt on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames on her body with Holy Water while wailing:"Waaah! My Bubbly Wine is still at Yunyun's house! That was the stash I worked so hard to save! Sylvia, you pervert! I'm going to curse you! I'm going to curse your core parts to all rust!!"Just as Sylvia's giant steel foot was about to crush the fountain in the square, a dozen figures wearing red capes suddenly appeared in unison on the surrounding rooftops.Some had their hands on their hips, while others covered half their faces with their hands, looking exceptionally heroic against the backdrop of the flames."Hmph, the farce ends here. Daring to set fire to the territory of us, the Crimson Demon Clan, it seems you are prepared to be banished to the Void Abyss!"A man with an exaggerated handlebar mustache issued a low declaration."That's right! I am the Crimson Demon Clan's number one tailor, the one who manipulates scissors and fate, Pupu-chin!"The woman next to him also followed suit, striking an extremely twisted pose.Haru watched this group of villagers who still had to introduce themselves at such a critical moment, and the corner of his eye twitched:"Hey, Kazuma, don't you feel that... although reinforcements have arrived, the feeling that we're doomed has only become stronger?""Yeah, I get it. The coolness factor of these guys is inversely proportional to their reliability."Satou Kazuma said, clutching the stone bricks of the ground tightly.Sylvia snorted coldly:"It's you Crimson Demon Clan members again, who only know how to talk big! Come on, sacrifice all your mana to me!!""Witness this! The Crimson Demon Clan's ultimate secret technique—Lightning Strike!"The villagers shouted in unison, and countless bolts of violent lightning gathered instantly, with such great momentum that it seemed as if they would tear the night sky apart.However, the moment those lightning bolts touched Sylvia's body, it was like plugging a fast charger into a dead phone."Wh-what?!" The handlebar-mustached man, who had been full of momentum just a moment ago, looked at his empty staff, cold sweat instantly soaking his cape,"Mana... really drained? Not even enough mana left to light a cigarette?"The once imposing villagers looked at each other, and an atmosphere called awkwardness permeated the air.Just as Sylvia was about to swing her massive steel fist down, the handlebar-mustached man suddenly whipped his cape, regaining that arrogant, haughty expression:"Hmph... I have to admit, you piece of scrap metal actually have some skill. Since that's the case, we shall spare you for today! Remember, this is absolutely not running away; it is a strategic dimensional transfer to protect our noble self-esteem!""That's right! Since you crave our mana so much, then just let yourself perish in emptiness! See you, perverted monster!"Under the dumbfounded gaze of Haru, Kazuma, Aqua, and Sylvia herself, those dozen Crimson Demon Clan villagers activated their teleportation magic in perfect unison."Swish—!"A flash of white light passed, and the rooftops instantly became empty, leaving only a few fire-scorched roof tiles fluttering in the wind.Sylvia froze in mid-air, falling into a state of system crash.She slowly turned her head to look at Haru and his group who were still standing there, her tone full of disbelief:"Hey... they ran away? They actually just ran away like that?! Aren't these guys supposed to be the strongest race of magic users in this world?! What was up with that'spare you for today' line?!"Haru covered his face in pain; he felt that as a comrade-in-arms of these people, his sense of shame at this moment had already surpassed his fear of death."Sorry, Sylvia, I didn't expect them to be this embarrassing either..."Haru said weakly."Is this the Crimson Demon Clan? Is this the race I have always regarded as my nemesis?!"Sylvia even felt a bit aggrieved; she felt that her revenge plan had become incredibly ridiculous at this moment,"I specifically remodeled myself into this ghostly form just to deal with them, and they just teleported away?! What is this feeling of punching cotton?!"
Chapter 176: Aqua's Fault!At this moment, so awkward that one would want to dig an entire Demon Kings Castle out of the ground, Yunyun, who had been keeping her head down with her shoulders trembling slightly, suddenly looked up. A certain resolute light burned in her purple eyes.She strode into the giant steel shadow of Sylvia, pulled out her Adventurer card from her bosom, and held it high as if displaying some sacred contract."Wait a moment! Sylvia! Not all of the Crimson Demon Clan are like that!"Yunyun's voice carried a hint of a sob, but it was filled with even more determination."Look! This is my card! I... although I am also from the Crimson Demon Clan, I have absolutely not learned the [Teleport] spell! In order to protect this village that raised me, even if I am the only one left, I will absolutely not take a single step back!"Sylvia's giant electronic eyes flickered a few times. She leaned down, her massive metal face drawing close to the tiny Yunyun.At this moment, a hint of an emotion called admiration unexpectedly appeared in the eyes of this Demon Kings Army General for the first time."Oh? Among a bunch of scum who only know how to run away, there is actually a girl like you who possesses the soul of a warrior?"Sylvia's tone became deep and solemn. Her massive steel fist slowly retracted, shifting into a combat stance."Good! Since you are so determined, I will take back what I just said. To pay respect to your fighting spirit, I will use my strongest physical crush to shatter you along with your pride!"Haru watched this scene, and a hint of emotion welled up in his heart:"Yunyun... you guy, are you actually this reliable at critical moments?""Hey, Haru, have you forgotten that this is the Crimson Demon Village?"Satou Kazuma stood to the side, glancing askance, his tone filled with an ominous premonition.Just as Sylvia roared and launched her charge, and Yunyun prepared to fight to the death—"Swish! Swish!"Two crisp teleportation sounds rang out behind Haru and Kazuma without any warning.Before the two could react, two thick, powerful hands pressed onto their shoulders respectively.It was the handlebar-mustache uncle and the tailor auntie who had clearly already run away just a moment ago!"Yo, little reincarnated brother, kept you waiting! We just went to pack up our bank books and spare underwear from home!"The handlebar-mustache uncle gave a thumbs up with a cheerful expression."Wait, wait a minute! What are you guys goi..." Haruhadn't finished his sentence."Teleport!!"White light exploded instantly!Haru only felt a wave of dizziness, and the steel monster and burning plaza before his eyes vanished instantly.Meanwhile, over on Yunyun's side, two other villagers followed suit, flashing to the side of Yunyun—who was still posing—with lightning speed, each grabbing one of her arms:"Oh, daughter of the village chief! Trying to look cool at a time like this will cost you your life! Let's go!""Let go of me! I haven't finished fighting yet! My determination! My screen time! Waaaaahhh!!"Yunyun's shrill scream came to an abrupt halt."Swish—!"The last glimmer of white light dissipated.The originally noisy, flame-engulfed, and battle-ready Crimson Demon Village plaza became dead silent in that single second.Sylvia's massive foot, capable of crushing city walls, stomped fiercely onto the empty ground, kicking up clouds of dust.However, when she looked up and scanned her surroundings, she discovered that not only were there no people, but even the stray dog that had been gnawing on a sweet potato by the roadside had been teleported away by the Crimson Demon Clan villagers.The entire Crimson Demon Village now, aside from the still-burning broken walls and ruins, was left with only her: a giant, red-glowing steel monster that looked imposing yet lonely as snow.A cold wind blew by, picking up a charred tile that spun around near Sylvia's cold metal toes."..."Sylvia remained frozen in her attack stance."Bastards!!! Are all the guys in the Crimson Demon Clan psychopaths?!" Sylvia's shrill and aggrieved roar echoed through the empty village. "Where is my audience?! Where is my loot?! Did I go through all this trouble to fuse just to come here and look at the scenery?!"After being forcibly teleported back to the tailor shop at the edge of the village, Haru and Satou Kazuma didn't even have time to get angry at those Crimson Demon Clan uncle and auntie who had made a strategic retreat before they were submerged by the pile of chaotic junk inside the room.This room was clearly the studio of that tailor, the genius of the first day, filled everywhere with fabrics and design blueprints emitting strange magical fluctuations."Damn it, those bastards ran faster than rabbits! Is this the so-called Soul of the Crimson Demon? It's basically just the Soul of Running Away!"Satou Kazuma grumbled while brushing the dust off his body, searching for something on a table piled with scrap paper."Hey, Haru, look at this! How does this crappy place actually have a classified diary written in katakana?"Haru leaned in and saw it was a notebook with a yellowed cover, with crooked Japanese written on the front:"Regarding the Mess I Created to Pass the Time After Being Reincarnated to Another World by That Intellectual Disabled Goddess."The two looked at each other, and an extremely ominous premonition rose in their hearts simultaneously.Opening the first page, it clearly read:"That day, a woman who claimed to be a Goddess of Water, had long blue hair, but whose brain seemed to be filled entirely with water, sent me here. She said she wanted me to save the world, but I only wanted to do scientific research. So, I modified the genes of some locals, giving them red eyes and chuunibyou, and named them the Crimson Demon Clan... By the way, to prevent these chuunibyou from rebelling, I built a giant magic absorption device. It looks like a microwave, but I call it the Magic Killer..."The air solidified at this moment.Haru and Satou Kazuma's necks, like rusted gears, slowly and inch by inch turned toward Aqua, who was sitting on the floor nearby, trying to clean her singed hair ends with sacred water."A... qu... a..."Satou Kazuma's voice at this moment was as deep as a demon crawling out of hell, blue veins bulging on his forehead,"That blue-haired Goddess whose brain is filled with water, and who is useless for anything other than causing trouble... shouldn't you give us a reasonable explanation?""Eh? What explanation?"Aqua looked up with an innocent expression, tears still swirling in her eyes,"I'm a victim too! That reincarnated person looked very honest at the time, who knew he would create such dangerous things! Besides, isn't the Crimson Demon Clan very popular now? This shows my judgment is good... Waaah! Haru, your eyes are so scary! Kazuma, don't come over! Help! Goddess abuse!!""Popular my ass! They just dumped us to that perverted Gundam and ran away themselves!!"Haru also couldn't help but roar, his fists clenching until they cracked, "So the culprit behind all of this is actually you, this useless Goddess, again! How much do you want to destroy the world?!"Just as Kazuma was preparing to activate a skill to give Aqua a full Goddess-punishment combo, Haru's peripheral vision caught the last page of the diary.
Chapter 177: The True Trump CardJust as Satou Kazuma's hands were already clamped around Aqua's slender neck, preparing to perform an act of god-slaying, Haru suddenly let out an exclamation, pressing down hard on the last page of the diary, almost tearing the yellowed paper in his excessive force."Wait! Kazuma! Don't strangle her yet! Look at this line!" Haru pointed to the passage at the end of the diary, which was filled with a self-deprecating tone, and read it out loud:"'...Although the Magic Killer is flawless, I still left behind one final insurance policy. It is an electromagnetic rifle that can convert magical power into ultra-high-frequency vibration waves. Because its appearance was too tacky and the Crimson Demon Clan guys disliked it for not being cool enough, I just threw it in the back alley of the clothing store to use as a clothes rack. If some unlucky guy ever needs it, remember to charge it up a bit...'"The air fell into a deadly silence for another second."A... clothes... rack?!"Satou Kazuma slowly released Aqua, his entire body stiffening in place as if struck by lightning. In his mind, he pictured the rusty long iron rod he had seen in the back alley of the clothing store yesterday, the one hanging with several of an auntie's loincloths. "Are you saying that the ultimate weapon capable of saving the world is that thing we were examining yesterday?""Stop talking nonsense! Hey! You guy with the handlebar mustache! Take us back to the clothing store quickly!!"Haru shouted at the villager outside the window who was preparing to run away again."Oh? Are you going to retrieve that ominous clothes rack? Since it is to showcase the ultimate decisive battle weapon of us Crimson Demon Clan, I will make an exception and take you back one more time!"The handlebar-mustached uncle, who had looked cowardly just a moment ago, suddenly became fired up again. With a magnificent turn and a wave of his staff, he shouted, "Teleport!!"A white light flashed, and the group returned to the Crimson Demon Village, which had already turned into a sea of flames.Haru kicked open the half-collapsed back door of the clothing store and snatched down the iron rod that had wet clothes hanging on it. As the outer layer of rust was shaken off, it revealed a near-future textured, silver-white alloy gun body, along with an electronic display screen that was flashing red frantically."Warning: Energy level below 0.1%. Please connect to an energy source."A mechanical voice came from the iron rod."How do you use this thing?! Why is there only a progress bar on it?!"Kazuma waved the heavy iron rod around wildly. In the distance, Sylvia had already spotted them and was charging over while roaring."Charge it! It says it needs charging!"Haru grabbed Aqua and pulled her over, carrying her like a huge mobile power bank. "Aqua! Stop crying! Hurry up and pour all your magical power into it! Whatever it takes, hurry up!!""Waaaaah! You guys are too much! I'm a goddess, not a battery!!"While bawling her eyes out, Aqua reached out both hands and gripped the rifle's handle as if out of spite. "Since you want it so badly, then take it all! Behold—Holy High-Tier Magic Injection!!"Hum—!!!!In an instant, a terrifying, suffocating blue light erupted from Aqua, surging wildly down her arms and into the clothes rack.The originally silver-white gun body became almost transparent at this moment, and the dense sequence of runes inside lit up like blood vessels, emitting a high-frequency hum that was enough to drown out Sylvia's roars.The surrounding air began to distort, and the Crimson Demon Clan villagers all wore expressions of terror."Hey, hey, hey! What is this energy fluctuation?! The uncle, who had been calm just a moment ago, backed away several steps. "This scale of magical power... it's like forcing the water of an entire large lake into a small bottle!""Huff... huff... I... I don't have anything left..."Aqua's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed limply into Haru's arms like a deflated ball, her soul seemingly having flown away along with her magical power.Meanwhile, the rifle in Haru's hand was no longer a clothes rack.It was wrapped in fine blue lightning, and the pressure it emitted made Sylvia, who was charging from directly in front, stop involuntarily. For the first time, a red light named fear appeared in her huge electronic eyes."Th-that is wha..."Sylvia's voice trembled.Haru felt the heavy, constantly vibrating clothes rack in his hand. The holy magical power, which felt as if it could tear space itself, was being conducted through the gun body into his arm, making the web of his hand go numb.He looked at Sylvia in the distance, who was hesitant and even subconsciously took a step back. A curve appeared at the corner of his mouth—an extremely villainous and pretentious smirk—as he casually tossed the blue-glowing long gun to the side."Kazuma! Catch! I'll leave the recoil and aiming of this thing to a lucky guy like you!"Haru put his hands in his pockets and struck an extremely dashing pose amidst the flames and ruins, hooking his index finger at Sylvia."Hey, you big-breasted mecha-girl, weren't you being very arrogant just now? Saying you wanted to turn us into generators? Sorry, but we've brought our own Goddess-brand overload generator. Now... are you ready to meet your scrapping?""Alrighty! Leave it to me!" Satou Kazuma did a roll and caught the rifle, skillfully shouldering it. A scum-like glint flashed in his eyes. "Even though this thing looks like a clothes rack, as long as it can kill a pervert like you, it's a holy sword! Take this—Snipe!!"Kazuma held his breath and pulled the trigger hard.Click.A crisp, empty sound of metal colliding.There was no earth-shattering beam of light as expected, nor was there a deafening roar.The rifle, which had been shimmering with light, flickered twice like a broken lightbulb at this moment, puffed out a wisp of black smoke, and died completely."Eh?" Kazuma froze, frantically pulling the trigger. "Hey! Fire! The magical power was clearly fully charged! Why is there no reaction?! Does this thing need to preheat? Or does it have an anti-theft lock?!""Hahahaha! It seems that was just a flashy toy!" Sylvia was stunned for a moment, then burst into even more violent laughter. Her massive steel body leaped up and smashed toward the group like a meteorite. "Since you have no moves left, then go die!!""Protect Haru and Kazuma!!" The Crimson Demon Clan villagers who had just teleported back, though cowardly, displayed astonishing (chuunibyou) fighting spirit at this critical moment.Countless Advanced Magic spells rained down on Sylvia like a storm, attempting to block her charge.However, in front of the Magic Killer, these spells were still just delicious snacks.As Sylvia absorbed the magical power, her size grew even larger. Her massive steel fist, carrying the whistling sound of tearing air, looked like it was about to crush Haru and his group into pulp.Just at this critical juncture, Megumin, who had been standing silently in the back, suddenly moved.She swung her hand violently, throwing the black robe that represented her Crimson Demon Clanidentity into the sea of flames.Against the backdrop of the flames, her petite figure radiated a suffocating sense of pressure.She slowly raised her right hand and gently pulled aside the eyepatch over her left eye; at this moment, magma seemed to be flowing within that deep red pupil."That's enough." Megumin's voice was cold and crisp, yet clear as a whisper from the Grim Reaper amidst the noisy battlefield."Relying on that strange machinery, relying on fleeing compatriots... none of these are the romance of us Crimson Demon Clan. Haru, Kazuma, open your eyes and watch carefully. There has only ever been one true trump card—"As Megumin began to chant, the clouds across the entire sky began to swirl and gather frantically, forming a huge funnel shape.The magical power in Crimson Demon Village, which had originally been drained by Sylvia, was forcibly snatched back at this moment by some even more terrifying and overbearing will."Darker than black, darker than the darkest darkness..."Sylvia's charge came to a dead halt.She looked in terror at the young girl who was chanting."Hey, hey, hey... this scale of magical power... that little girl... is she actually going to cast that here?!"Haru watched the red light particles rising all around, and Megumin's thin yet incredibly imposing back, and couldn't help but swallow his saliva."Kazuma, I think... is it still in time for us to run away now?""Run my ass! My legs have gone soft!!" Satou Kazuma hugged the useless rifle, his teeth chattering incessantly."By this, my crimson will, the time for awakening has come! Pierce through the realm of desolation, and become the formless distortion—!!"At the tip of Megumin's staff, a deep red ball of light capable of devouring all things was expanding wildly.