After parting ways with Wiz, I had to endure the insistent stares of Megumin and YunYun throughout the entire journey.
Their eyes couldn't hide their curiosity about my conversation with Wiz.
Yet I took care not to reveal anything important about the demon king and his army.
The less these two Crimson Demons know, the better off the group will be for now.
After all, Crimson Demons possess exceptional intelligence stats... but they sorely lack practical common sense.
Am I an exception to this rule?
Yes... I'm the exception that proves it.
Finally, I decided to cut my outing short. The atmosphere with these two scarlet-eyed girls was becoming too heavy and awkward.
The only positive points after my visit to Wiz's shop concerned the details of the skills I had chosen...
[name: teleport]
[category: auxiliary magic]
[description: Instantly transports up to 4 targets (including the user) to a marked location.]
[effects: teleportation]
[name: drain touch]
[category: active skill]
[description: Drains HP and MP from a target, then allows the drained energy to be transferred to another individual (user included)]
[effects: HP and MP absorption]
[name: Hand of the Immortal King]
[category: active skill]
[description: Through simple "hostile" physical contact, you can inflict a random debuff on the target.]
[effect: inflicts the following random debuff: Level drain, Curse, Sleep, Magic seal (prevents magic usage), Panic, Petrification]
[name: Cursed Necromancy]
[category: auxiliary magic]
[description: Allows reanimation of dead creatures, transforming them into obedient servants that fight alongside the user.]
[effects: undead creation]
[name: Cursed Lightning]
[category: advanced magic]
[description: Launches a devastating black lightning projectile capable of piercing through targets. This magic is destructive enough to kill a dragon in one shot when used by Wiz.]
[effect: manipulation of destructive black lightning]
...
The next morning, calm finally reigned over the mansion after a somewhat eventful night of rest.
It seems Aqua doesn't like partying, but this goddess absolutely loves it!
When she learned that Megumin and I had filled the kitchen with ingredients and some alcohol for guests, she started eating and drinking in large quantities.
And since I had advised Kazuma to consume special creatures to gain EXP, he followed in Aqua's footsteps.
As for Megumin and YunYun? The first seemed reluctant on the surface, but she was eating at the same pace as Aqua.
The second Crimson Demon imitated the first in a challenge she unilaterally proclaimed against Megumin.
In short, last night was chaos.
Yet I can't help but smile thinking about all that during my morning training.
However, I quickly regained my focus during the execution of Kyokushin karate kata in the garden.
"Foul creature... Y... you will taste the power of this goddess!"
My concentration was interrupted again by a cry coming from the residence, but I forced myself to ignore it and continue my exercises diligently.
The sounds of the old oak's bark cracking under the assault of my strikes resonated in my ears like music, while I strived to remember the lessons from my past life.
My movements gradually became more fluid and powerful, my body adapting and adjusting to each technique.
My flaws slowly corrected themselves under the hammering of this arduous training.
Currently, I had a body far superior to my peak in Japan, but... it had annoying defects in practice during real combat.
My current build has always bothered me a bit in close combat, as I have limited reach with my small limbs.
I literally had to get used to this small body after only a few weeks inside it.
It's already a huge feat that I only fell to the ground a few times due to imbalance when I first arrived in this reality.
That's why I decided to train my body in various actions from my past life and train it at the same time.
As for the reason for my exploits during my fights? It's entirely due to physical strength and high agility stats.
These elements have largely compensated for my discomfort, but it doesn't change my problems at all.
My goal with this training isn't just optimal control of this small body, but also to quickly regain my peak in kendo and karate.
The sword handling skill will be obtained today, so I need to readjust properly.
Unfortunately, my training was brutally interrupted by one of the skeletons I had created to clean the mansion.
The poor thing was thrown through the window and fell heavily at my feet.
"Haha, stupid undead! You just tasted my God Blow!" Aqua's proud voice resonated loudly again.
(Image)
"Aqua... why did you hit my servant?"
Cursed Necromancy.
This skill allows summoning undead, but there are underlying rules concerning the summoned creature.
For example, the intelligence level of the undead creature.
At skill level 1, the undead cannot execute complex tasks like using a bow or wielding magic.
They can't even communicate clearly with their summoner.
There's also the fact that undead summoned by magic without a corpse aren't permanent but temporary.
In short: they're just cannon fodder.
Why did I choose this skill then?
I needed to avoid a similar situation to the time against the manticore in the forest next to Axel.
Especially since it's out of the question that I continue walking around with Wiz's unstable explosive potions.
I'm sure the special bag has a limit to the safety it provides its potion user.
"Servant? That abomination is an undead! It's my duty to send it to the afterlife," she said in a strong voice, but her tone seemed to state an obvious fact.
Unconsciously, I massaged my temple a bit while listening to Aqua's speech.
At this rate, I'll have to avoid using black magic or demonic type skills in front of her.
Something I can't tolerate for my growth.
"Aqua... I learned to summon undead from Wiz," I finally told the truth.
"W-what?" Aqua seemed slightly confused after my declaration.
Strangely, I could hear the sounds of several gears turning in her head searching for logic in my act.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for her to display a shocked expression from the window broken by the unfortunate skeleton's passage.
"Renji!"
That's how I endured a long argument with Aqua about using black magic in the group.
In the end? I won the debate.
"Of course, I'll tolerate the use of black magic and these disgusting skills, because I'm a benevolent goddess."
"You say that, but you're clinging to those bottles like a koala with a branch."
At some point, Kazuma had woken up to witness our animated conversation with Aqua.
From his appearance, he didn't seem to suffer from a problem like a hangover.
As expected from a Japanese compatriot, he indeed hadn't touched alcohol because of his age.
"You really don't understand anything, idiot," Aqua shook her head as if Kazuma was too stupid to understand her intelligence.
"Oh really?" Kazuma looked at her with a clearly skeptical face.
"Indeed, Scumzuma, trading an expensive bottle of alcohol for this goddess's authorization to use black magic is a good deal, hahaha."
An absurd logic that anyone in this place understood.
Kazuma just looked at her and me with an expression that could be translated as: are you serious?
I nodded before putting my arm over his shoulder in a friendly movement to bring him to an area away from Aqua's ears.
"In your opinion, between having your doctor in a good mood or having them hung up on a small dissatisfaction with you... which option is wiser?"
Kazuma soon had a understanding expression on his face, before suddenly moving away from my grip.
"I... I understand you but... go take a bath... you stink of sweat."
I don't know why, but at that moment, a "friendly" smile drew itself on my face.
...
"Stupid Kazuma, I welcome you into my home, I feed you, I equip you, but you disrespect me? Do you really want to go back to the stable?"
After the morning incident with Aqua, I spent the rest of the morning training with Kazuma in the garden.
As for the result? Honestly, it's pitiful.
He has endurance barely above average... I admit I'm starting to question my investment.
"S-sorry boss... I... I won't do it again, so... can I have a break?"
My answer? I just lifted my feet off the ground to increase my weight, while I'm on Kazuma's back during his execution of military push-ups.
Let's increase the difficulty level a bit ~
"Can I also get on? It looks fun."
I shook my head at Megumin's "sadistic" proposal.
Knowing this Japanese guy, he'll turn this act of punishment into pure and simple reward.
I better prevent this loli from doing that.
"No, he might enjoy it more than anything else," I said honestly.
"I... I'm not a lolicon!"
Despite the difficulty of the exercise, Kazuma forced himself to scream this sentence.
Yet, did I believe him? Absolutely not.
This guy has had too much success with young girls in the original story, and there are also his slip-ups when faced with opportunities to "eat" Darkness.
So yes, I have slight doubts about his preferences.
"They all say that, Kazuma..."