Chapter 202: The New Weapon
At the mansion, Aqua, overjoyed with her new prize, had already taken the parchment inscribed with the Falna and returned to her room to tinker with it. When she left, she told them that no one was to disturb her.
Kobayashi and Kazuma, on the other hand, were huddled together, whispering about something. Judging by the "hehehe" sleazy laughter that came from them from time to time, it probably wasn't anything good.
At this moment, Megumin returned, along with her pet Chomusuke.
When she saw him, the chuunibyou loli was clearly stunned, and then her eyes filled with intense joy.
He had thought she would rush over and hug him, but unexpectedly, she suppressed the impulse to pounce and, with a great deal of restraint in her words and actions, said to him:
"Welcome back, Kobayashi."
"...Oh, oh! I'm back, Megumin."
For some reason, he felt a strong sense of belonging.
Finally, someone was waiting for me to come back.
"And... what are you two doing?" she asked, curiously approaching them. "You've been acting sneakily since just now. It's very suspicious."
"Ah, well... I'm planning to change my class, and I'm just a little unsure of what weapon to use."
He immediately moved aside, and at the same time, told her his troubles.
Of course, he didn't hide the fact that he had been taken down in one move. After all, there had to be a catalyst for changing classes, otherwise, yelling about changing classes for no reason would be very suspicious.
In Konosuba, one's class was decided from the very beginning. To say that one wanted to change classes... it was indeed very surprising.
However—
"What?! There's a strong enemy that can defeat you in one move, Kobayashi? In that case, as your companion, I have no choice but to avenge you!"
"Er... under normal circumstances, shouldn't you be asking about the weapon first?"
Megumin, upon hearing his description of the strong enemy, was immediately overjoyed and insisted on having a showdown with Ottar, to test the power of her Explosion magic on him.
In her eyes, the only standard for being called a "strong person" was to be able to take her Explosion!
Unlike in Konosuba, there was no such thing as "magic resistance" in Danmachi. Or rather, the effect of magic resistance was so small that it was not apparent at all.
Therefore, even Ottar would not be able to withstand the huge power of Explosion magic head-on.
Of course, it was also impossible to stop the other party from running away.
"Ngh... In that case, I'll have to put some points into Explosion," he pinched his chin and muttered.
Explosion magic's power was huge, but its chanting time was also long. In the time it took to chant the spell, Ottar would have been able to kill him dozens of times.
Unless he could cast it instantly like her, it really wasn't of much use.
But to want to raise Explosion to the same level as her would require a huge amount of skill points.
Admittedly, skill points were not something ordinary people lacked. Even if they did, they could be supplemented with skill point potions. But the shitty part was, his skill tree was the greediest kind of build. He had maxed out almost all class skills. One could imagine how many skill point potions he would need.
Money. It was all money!
Burning money to become stronger... this was a very convenient and easy path, but the problem was, he had no money. It had all been swindled away by that evil lord. He couldn't help but sentence him to death again in his heart.
"And so, what about the weapon?"
"Ah. I was just discussing it with Kazuma-kun. I'm preparing to dismantle this."
He picked up the item on the table and showed it to her.
And the loli, after seeing this item, was clearly shocked and said, "Isn't this a haori? It's not a good idea to dismantle it. It's Aqua's, after all. It's better to ask her first. If it's like that idiot Kazuma, who treasures his tracksuit, it wouldn't be good if she complains and cries about it later."
That's right. What he was showing her was the Goddess's Haori.
However, it was not the genuine article that symbolized the Goddess Aqua, but a fake that she and Kazuma had made for their clothing competition.
Although it was a fake, it had to be said, it was indeed very strong. Not to mention its first-class protective ability, it also had a magic-nullification effect that had been modified using the Magic Circuit from the Destroyer.
If he could successfully modify it to be like Lubbock's [Cross Tail], he couldn't even imagine how beautiful the scene would be when he fought against mages.
It has toughness, and it has magic nullification. With what will you fight me?
—Mage Killer!
He had already thought of its name.
The reason he and Kazuma had been laughing sleazily just now was because of this.
"But that idiot Aqua... I don't know what method she used, but it can't be torn, it can't be cut, and it can't be ripped. And because of the magic-nullification, even using fire-attribute magic to burn it doesn't work. Seriously, she's always showing her excellence in strange, random places. If the theme of the competition back then wasn't 'clothing' but 'equipment,' I would have definitely lost in the end."
"Mmm, it's Aqua, after all."
He and Kazuma complained at the same time.
In fact, the two of them had been tinkering with it for nearly three hours. They had tried every method, but the Goddess's Haori that Aqua had made was still as good as new, with no signs of being destroyed at all.
It seemed that, just as she had said, it really was on the same level as a divine instrument.
To be honest, the effect of the Haori was too strong. He was a little reluctant to part with it.
"Then why don't you just find Aqua?" Megumin suggested. "She's the one who made it. She definitely knows how to take it apart."
"Huh?! Are you an idiot?" Kazuma mocked her impolitely. "You're not unaware of her personality, are you? If she knew we were taking apart something she had made, that woman would surely be crying her eyes out."
"Are you calling me an idiot? Are you trying to pick a fight, you idiot Kazuma! Fine! In any case, my family motto is 'never back down from a fight'! Your provocation... I accept it!"
She raised her staff and was about to cast a spell.
If he hadn't held her down in time, the mansion might have been blown up in the next second.
"Forget it, forget it. Since that's the case, let's just find new materials to make it," he sighed. He didn't know what kind of mood he should be in.
Their goddess's ability was too strong. The equipment she made was too good, so good that it couldn't be dismantled.
Was this what they call "suffering from success"?
After that, he and Kazuma began to discuss what materials to use to make the weapon's threads. After rejecting the wasteful act of using the Destroyer's Magic Circuits, they set their sights on a super-powerful magic beast—the Manticore.
"Come to think of it, Manticore fur is indeed very suitable."
A Manticore, as the name implied, was a famous fantasy creature with the body and claws of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. Because the lion and the eagle rule the land and the sky respectively, under normal circumstances, the Manticore was also considered a very powerful animal.
And in Konosuba, the Manticore was a very powerful monster, on the same level as a super-class Danger Beast.
"Are we really going to go after it?" Kazuma said, his head aching. He said, annoyed, "With our party's current setup, it's hard to imagine we can smoothly deal with a monster as strong as a Manticore."
"Don't say such disheartening things, Kazuma! With me, the world's strongest Explosion mage, here, no monster is a match for me! Just leave it to me!"
When Megumin heard that they were going to subjugate a Manticore, she was immediately wide awake.
The loli patted her flat chest, her appearance full of confidence.
He was afraid she would pat it until it was concave.
Kazuma would not fall for her tricks. Instead, he pouted and threatened, "Think carefully, Megumin. Without Darkness, our reliable tank, the danger is greatly increased. A mage with no protection is like a female knight who has been abducted by goblins. You understand what kind of terrifying treatment you'll receive, right?"
"Hmph, how foolish, Kazuma."
"...What?"
"Normally, the party's tank would attract the monsters to create an opening for the mage to deal damage. However, our party's Darkness... she always recklessly charges in, ignoring all advice, and messes up the formation. Because I don't want to hurt a companion, I've never had a chance to show my strength. But now it's different! Without her causing trouble, I can just use my Explosion to take out the monster first!"
"Er..."
Megumin's crimson eyes, for once, showed a light of wisdom.
She was right. He couldn't even refute it.
Especially in the case where the chuunibyou Archwizard could also instantly cast Explosion. It was a nuke-level sneak attack. Even a powerful monster on the level of a Manticore would not feel good after taking a shot of Explosion.
At the very least, it would be unable to move. At worst, it would die on the spot.
Even if it didn't die, with him and Kobayashi attacking together, they would surely be able to subjugate it!
Then, they ran to the Adventurer's Guild to accept the quest.
Subjugating a Manticore was a quest with a very generous reward.
Besides the fact that all parts of its body could be used as materials for making weapons or potions, the Adventurer's Guild had also put up a large sum of money, in the name of it endangering the surrounding pastures, hoping someone would take it out.
However, due to the fact that the Manticore's strength was not to be underestimated, and that Axel was, in name and in reality, a beginner town, it had almost no natural enemies here.
And now, finally, someone could step up and sanction it!
Just let me! Let the world's strongest Explosion mage take it out! Let it become the first stepping stone to my fame throughout the continent!
The loli was full of confidence.
However—
Swish! A cold light flashed in the air. The futuristic-looking scythe was slowly retracted under the elegant attendant's skirt. And as the girl gave an elegant bow, the Manticore's head, which had an eagle's beak, slowly fell to the ground and rolled several times.
Its large eyes were filled with confusion.
Clearly, it didn't understand why it had died so easily.
The one with the same expression was the Archwizard of Explosions, who was standing beside them with her staff raised, but had not released her magic.
"...Eh?"
Megumin blinked.
Kazuma's mouth split into a grin. He patted her shoulder and mocked, "What a pity. It seems there's no room for the strongest Explosion mage to perform this time. I'll look forward to your wonderful performance next time. It would be great if it's as wonderful as your expression right now."
"Wh-why?" The loli was extremely unconvinced.
Come to think of it, she had confidently patted her chest and made a guarantee, but before she could even make a move, the Manticore had been killed. Hadn't she just wasted her emotions?
Kazuma said impolitely, "Idiot! Our purpose is its fur! If it was blown away by your Explosion, wouldn't we have just wasted our efforts?"
"B-but...! My Explosion! I haven't used my Explosion yet!"
She was a little agitated.
But when she saw the Manticore, whose eyes were also filled with a dazed and confused expression, she had no choice but to accept the fact that she had had no room to make a move this time.
"Don't say that, Megumin."
"Kobayashi!"
"You are our insurance, our final trump card. If RyuZU had been unable to subjugate the Manticore, we would have had to rely on your Explosion. And your magic is for honing against powerful monsters, right? Since the Manticore was so easily subjugated, that just proves that it wasn't worthy of you making a move."
"I-is that so...?"
"That's right! That's just how it is!"
"I-is that so... Hmph. You're right! A mere Manticore is nothing! It's not worthy of my Explosion at all! As I thought, only the Demon King's army and its minions are worthy of me making a move!"
She flicked her cape and made a loud declaration in a pose that she thought was incredibly cool, but others thought was chuunibyou.
Seeing the loli had been fooled, he also let out a secret sigh of relief.
After all, she was a problem child on the same level as Darkness and Aqua. And especially a loli like her, you had to go along with her.
"Alright, let's go back!"
He beckoned, and dragged the Manticore's tail towards Axel.
On the way, they met many adventurers. And when they saw the dead Manticore, their eyes were filled with shock and admiration as they looked at the four of them.
This was different from the beginning, when he was dragging a Giant Toad, and everyone had expressions of avoidance. This kind of gaze was really great.
Megumin and Kazuma puffed out their chests, their proud postures as they walked in front. It was as if the two of them had put in a lot of effort to subjugate the Manticore.
Although he, too, was proudly dragging the Manticore as if it were his own trophy, even though he hadn't done anything.
Arriving at the guild, Luna was very shocked.
She hadn't expected them to accept the quest in the morning and return victoriously in the evening. This level of strength was on par with the kingdom's third-ranked, Mitsurugi Kyouya!
"Please, you must let the guild buy this Manticore!"
"Of course. That's why we're here."
Luna's large... orbs... bounced up and down, and his hands also bounced up and down.
In any case, after a bout of haggling, all of the Manticore, except for the fur necessary to make the thread, was sold off.
Both sides were overjoyed.
And after that, it was time to use the fur that was left over to make the thread.
Originally, he had planned to give this task to Kazuma. After all, he was a very qualified tailor. However, Kazuma, on the grounds that he had no experience in this area, had refused.
Just as he was worrying about this, Kazuma had introduced him to another tailor.
That's right, it was that mohawk-headed tailor that he often met at the succubus shop. He always had an "I have an unknown past" expression on his face, always said strange things in the tone of someone who had been through it all, and most importantly, he was wearing overalls!
If Kazuma hadn't patted his chest and guaranteed it, he really wouldn't have wanted to entrust this to him.
But he had never expected that that guy would actually give him a little surprise!
(End of Chapter)