"*Sigh*... It's bigger than yesterday" Kazuma sighed while looking at the explosion, raising dust and flames to the sky.

He didn't bother much with the magical nuke that landed a few hundred meters away from Axel. Wearing his coat and grabbing his sword, Kazuma left the mansion immediately without turning back.

To be honest, it wasn't only him who had this 'benevolence' and 'acceptance' mentality. Humans were always famous for their adapting ability and if you saw two to three nukes every day, you'll get used to them.

Axel's citizens looked at the explosion magic in the sky before returning to their own things. Some of them didn't even glance at the explosion because these scenes, to be frank, became bland for them. All the excitement or terror vanished and was replaced with boredom. Human adaptation is really terrifying.

But what can they do? Try to stop it? They already tried but here the question, who made these explosions??!! In fact, the daily explosion's magics are one of the urban legends of Axel, something that even the guild wasn't able to figure out its source completely.

At first, there were only two options, a disciple of explosion magic in town, so she can be ruled out, and a crimson demon arch wizard, who specialize in explosion magic. Honestly, if that was just the case, then everything can be settled, but then, they remembered it.

Seven days before now, the sky, earth, air, everything in their sights became a bombing zone!! The sky turned red, the earth melted into magma, even the air was howling like a storm when the apocalypse struck that day. Luckily, it was far away from Axel, but it made everyone scared when imagining if the explosions were close by.

They called the capital, several adventure teams arrived from different towns, and a whole investigation started, but they only saw a giant hole in the place of the explosions, so no clues were given whatsoever.

However, several mages remembered the scene as they shivered. Are they dealing with someone who has unlimited mana or what? How else can they explain the spamming of explosion magic that day?

However, nobody knew that A Neet had gone 'slightly' overboard with her new toy that day. Waving left and right, dropping explosions magic like rain, it even made Megumin blackout from the shock.

Despite that, these events only made the crimson demon's fighting spirit explode brighter than her explosions. She, who witnessed the explosions that day, swore to take her explosion magic further, but also glad because she still has a long way to go in the explosion's path.

*Thud*

With the sound of a body hitting the ground, Megumin fell down as she breathed heavily. All her mana was gone and she felt like she couldn't move an inch, however, she had a happy and blissful expression when looking at the explosion.

The fire crimson flower of flames rushed to the sky, creating a mushroom cloud of dust. All the rocks and vegetation in the area were blown to oblivion, even some frogs that were sleeping in the underground met their demise under the blazing fire.

After a moment, all that was left are ashes and smoke, making the one unable to see clearly.

"Hmmm… It's slightly bigger than yesterday" Kaguya covered her mouth with her sleeve while floating around Megumin. She already set a barrier with her spiritual power, just to observe the explosion closely.

"Of course, it is! I pushed myself beyond the normal limits" Megumin said with a tired tone in her voice, but it was mostly a happy one.

"Do you really feel happy by throwing explosions everywhere?" Misaka said while squatting down next to Megumin.

"Absolutely, yes! Explosion magic is the meaning of my life! It's blackness shrouded in light. Frenzied blaze clad in night in the name of crimson demons, let the collapse of thine origin mani-... Ouch! Wait, wait!" Megumin was going with a long chunni speech as Misaka, who had a strength increase, was poking her cheeks.

Kaguya looked at the expressionless Misaka poking the pleading for mercy Megumin before shaking her head. However, a flash of slight envy was in her eyes when she heard Megumin's words.

"Meaning of life, huh?" Repeating those words, Kaguya chuckled a little before looking at Axel's city.

{Nothing. After all these days, nothing is clear} Kaguya frowned while thinking about this period they spent in Axel.

Honestly, they turned Axel into a war zone one way or another. Explosions, earthquakes, lightning, even DIOzuma, Axel's city was screaming that something was wrong going on, but until now, nothing has come to kill them.

{Any person that came to this world, with motives or not, will definitely consider Axel as the first goal or at least one of the mine aims. The mission indicates to prevent the players from planting the devices, nothing more, not even another warning or a message. I don't believe that the world's will can stay silent if things went out of control, then Axel should be important, no it's important, there were players here before} Kaguya started to think about a counter plan because her initial one didn't show much of a result.

At first, she tried to get some information with Leone, but that plan is far-fetched, especially if someone wants a quick result. This world isn't easy and centered around one place like you see on the screen. A lot of things are happening everywhere and they won't wait for anyone.

A huge number of cheat holders, which were summoned to this world by Aqua, are wreaking havoc every day across the world, some were big events and others were slightly huge, even some aborigines, like the Crimson demons, make a lot of noise, but because of them, trying to find a player or a traverser is very hard via the guild and kingdom information.

Although the guild and kingdom have means of using magic to teleport important information, they are usually still slow and not completely effective for fast reaction and reflection on the situation.

Then she concluded using Axel's special identity like a trap for other enemies, keeping an eye on the outside while waiting for the players to take the bait. However, she clearly knows that Axel wasn't always a 'peaceful' city, Kazuma and his gang were performing terrorist acts every day in the original, so the players won't be phased by these things.

Whitebeard killing the dragon was a pleasant surprise, DIOzuma's reputation can also be used, Misaka dropping lightning once in a while, and the 'accident' of her almost blowing up the sky and earth. If this won't be enough to make a clear sign, then she doesn't know what will.

She can see that Whitebeard knew about this and Leone should have the correct idea, but the former is getting bored by waiting and the latter is running wild around. Kazuma should have realized this if he wasn't traumatized by DIO and things going around, he probably doesn't have any energy left.

This is her great plan, to play a tower defense against the players and wait for them in Axel, yet in this tower defense, they can leave the tower and attack. She totally didn't think about it two days ago and everything was in her calculations. Yup, absolutely, right!

"Fufufufu, as expected of me, the might of the moon's princess is eternal" Kaguya's laugh made Misaka and Megumin shiver a little.

"Is she okay?" Megumin whispered while Misaka shook her head, saying she didn't know.

{However, nothing happened. Do these players think this is a game?... heh} Kaguya stopped her laughter while thinking of the final step. Will the players come or not?

At this rate, she might try to tie Kazuma into a huge sign that says a protagonist for sale. That should work... probably.

Kazuma, who was going to open the guild doors, felt a chill from up to bottom while looking around. Looking for a while, Kazuma didn't see anything, but he felt like something bad would happen and his danger awareness skill rang like a bell, it was like telling him that he's in some deep shit.

"*Glup*..." In Kazuma's eyes, the guild door became like the door for the abyss, but then, his skill stopped working as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"What the hell is going on these days. Explosions, dragon-slaying, thieves, can't these guys appreciate the peace of a law-abiding citizen like me and stop?" With a few complaints, Kazuma pulled the guild door and entered.

The guild was still the same, with some tables and board for quests. The adventurers have already picked up their quests and went outside, so the guild isn't crowded. Usually, it'll only be crowded in the evening and the night as most adventurers will drink and eat here.

Lifting his blank eyes, Kazuma took a quick glance at the guild before walking towards the quest board. He saw some receptionists, adventurers.

"Hm? Oh, Leone is here. She is with two people, she'll probably trick them…" Kazuma shrugged before walking forwards, however, he stopped his foot in mid-air.

Like pushing the playback button, Kazuma returned to his original position before putting his hand on DIO's sword.

"Hahaha, well, it shouldn't take a lot" Leone was talking with two other girls.

The first one had short silver hair, a scar on her face, and wore some light and short clothes.

The other was a girl with blond hair tied into a ponytail and blue eyes. She wore a black, white, and yellow armor.

However, when the three of them were talking, the two girls saw something weird, but Leone felt a chill before she dodged to the side.

"WRYYYY!!!!" A sword in its sheath, striking like a hammer, passed her hair with a few inches and almost landed on the table.

"Oh… It was close" Kazuma said with a gloomy voice, however, no one could tell if he was talking about Leone's head or the table because the guild will add it to his debt.

"Oh! Hello, Kazuma, we were just talking about you" Leone, who escaped a hit to the head, acted like nothing as she laughed.

"Really? What a coincidence, I was also thinking about you… In the interrogation room" Raising the sword, a gloomy aura was around Kazuma, which made Leone laugh dryly.

The other two women didn't know what to do as they watched from the side.

"Oh c'mon, Kazuma, don't be mad. Can something like that affect ou-'' Leone was talking, however, the only answer she got was a screaming sword in his sheath going to her head. She dodged quickly before she said " Why are persistent about attacking my head?!"

"Leone, Leone, how could you think like this" Kazuma shook his head before he said " As a good friend, how could I attack you?"

"I'm just here to knock some sense into your brain, nothing more, accept my goodwill as a good friend" Kazuma was smiling warmly, like a very friendly guy, but the sword and aura around him were a completely different matter.

The short silver hair girl was in a dilemma and confused about the situation, but the blond-haired girl looked at this scene intently, her breathing was slightly rushed and her gaze had some envy when looking at Leone.

"Well, I'm sorry, okay" Leone dodged again as Kazuma said " Your sorry isn't enough for my suffering"

"It's just some interrogations, get over it" Leone said as Kazuma felt a string snapped in his brain before pulling his sword slightly.

"You thought this was a sword, but it was I -" The sword almost left the sheath before Leone moved forwards and pushed it back.

"Kazuma, let me be frank, I don't want to see this sword's face or hear its voice, so look at the big picture!" Leone kept her hand on the sheath while putting her hand around Kazuma's shoulder and looking in the same direction as him.

"Does that big picture include me and my sword, shooting a wind blade at you?" Kazuma said with an expressionless face, but Leone shook her finger and said " Do you know, with your help, I was able to make a good deal for you!"

"What deal?" Kazuma lifted his eyebrow before Leone grinned and said " I managed to bring a high-class job adventurer to consider joining your party!"

"What?" Kazuma was surprised slightly before looking at the blond girl with a slight blush on her face and the silver-haired girl with a wry smile.

"Let me introduce you, this is Chris and Darkness!" Leone said with a smile before introducing the two girls.

Apparently, Chris is a Thief class adventurer and met Leone on a coincidence, after that, they became friends. After Leone heard Darkness was looking for a party, she suggested Kazuma's party, however, Darkness wasn't sure at first, but her decision changed quickly after reading the notice on the quests board.

Darkness is an advanced class Crusader, a frontal attacker and protector for the team. Honestly, Kazuma was moved when he heard that, especially, when he saw Darkness standing proudly, like a very capable person.

{A Thief, huh? I wonder how} Kazuma glanced at Leone, but she just blinked, not caring about his gaze.

"*Sigh* Let me be frank with you, my team sucks, like honestly, if you were looking for a serious and capable team, I don't think mine is good" Kazuma sighed and told Darkness directly.

"Kazuma was it?" Darkness said like confirming it, which made Kazuma said " Yes, I'm Kazuma''

"Um, the other day, in the morning, were those… Um, those two slimy ladies were your allies, right?" Darkness averted her gaze as she said some words that made Kazuma stare blankly and say " Yes"

He remembered Aqua and Megumin 'fighting' against the frogs while he had to save them from turning into frog's shit.

"What in the world did you do to them, can you do it to- Ahem! Sorry, as a knight, can I ask what happened to them" Darkness' eyes flashed before saying with a smile.

{*Sigh* So, she's a girl with principle, even if I'm feeling something weird} Kazuma shook his head before telling the story about the mighty frogs, the calling of the demon king.

"Frogs… in their mouths" Chris was uncomfortable by Kazuma's story.

"What?! It's worse than I imagined…" A serious look appeared on Darkness's face before she said " As a knight, I cannot overlook such horrors befalling on two girls of such tender age!"

Darkness stood up heroically in front of Kazuma before she blushed and said " Would you please… Would you please let me join your p-p-party!"

"..." Kazuma stared at her for a moment before he took a deep breath and said " Why?"

"As a knight, and a Crusader, it's my job to protect my allies from all the dangers they may face!" Darkness said with a smile, but the slight blush on her face made Kazuma uncomfortable for some reason.

"We're a party of the weakest adventurer class, an arch Wizard that can only use magic once a day, and an idiot high priest! We cannot afford you with us p-" Kazuma didn't have the chance to finish his words as Darkness got closer and said " Don't worry at all, like I said, I'll be your protector and shield you all from all dangers, you can count on me, even using me as meat shield is also okay!!"

{Ahhh, there was something wrong after all} Kazuma sighed like giving up before he stared at Darkness and said seriously " I won't care about you. If we were in a dangerous situation, I'll not hesitate to use you as a living shield, and if the danger increased, I'd abandon you immediately!!"

Darkness stopped as she fell down on her seat while lowering her head.

"See? It's a complete waste for you to join my party, consider someone else" Kazuma breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to shake off the weird girl, but then, he looked at Chris.

He was ready to see her angry look after speaking with her friend like that, but instead, and to Kazuma's surprise, she was covering her face.

Looking at the side, Kazuma saw Leone shaking her head like she was saying 'You're still very young, boy'

In Kazuma's confusion, Darkness started shivering before she raised her head. Her eyes were sparkling and she was blushing hard before saying " You will?!"

{Ahhh, I did it, didn't I? I already gave up on this world} Kazuma lowered his head with a small smile, which left his face to be covered with a shadow.

When Kazuma was giving up on this world further, the 'small' ripples that everyone did in this world were already taking effect. As a dark cloud was advancing from far away, and with it, an army was marching slowly.