~~Chapter 4~~

"Witch Hunting"

Part 1

Stare..

"Are you enjoying it, Agame-sama?"

"Ahhh! Mhm! This cow's milk is great!"

Stare...

"Agame-sama, do you want me to massage your back?"

"Oh, please do, Sana-san!"

Stare....

"Ah! I have an idea, Agame-sama! How about we go out for a late night stroll? We can also go grab a bite while we're at it!"

"That's a great idea, Sana-sa-"

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU MORONS THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

This was a hopeless scenario.

These idiots were fooling around at a time like this.

I pointed a finger straight at Sana's face as she tried to avert her gaze.

"We're brokest of the broke right now, and you want to spend the last of our money on your little girl fetish?! Let's not forget that you're the reason why we're almost penniless in the first place! You just couldn't keep your money in your pocket and your desires in your panties, couldn't you?! You disgrace of a school idol! I expected much more from you!"

Then, I turned towards the green haired loli on my opposite side who also averted her eyes from me.

"And you! Our quest of watching over you has been long finished already! We don't need to babysit your gold digging face anymore! Just because you're a child doesn't mean I won't punish you for causing me troubles! You've got the nerve to break into my room and start taking advantage of this delusional blonde the moment you get here! And don't you dare pull the "You saw me half naked" card on me! It was your fault for changing in someone else's room in the first place!"

While I was in the middle of calling these two idiots out, a knock came from my door. We all turned to see Annalea at the door.

"Annalea-san!" x2

"Annalea-nee!"

The warrior girl who had just arrived looked relieved as she saw her little sister.

"Oh thank goodness, Agame, you're here. When I arrived home, I couldn't find you anywhere. Then I tried the guildhall but you weren't there either. Luckily one of the waitresses told me where you were. Oh! Kaito-san, Sana-san! Thank you so much for watching over my little sister for me."

"Ah, it's our pleasure."

"I hope she didn't cause you that much trouble."

The smile on my face froze in disdain.

"N-no, not at all."

That was a lie. It's been hell.

Though I was putting on a smile right now, I couldn't help but recall how I nearly got shot by her arrow at her home, how I got attacked by a Flying Viper, how I had to bail her out of the fight with those White Soldiers, and how my savings got completely drained.

"Ah, thank you, Annalea-san."

In my trance, I was handed a pouch full of coins by the warrior girl.

"Again, I'm sorry if it's too little."

"Don't sweat it, it's alright! Hahaha!"

No, it's not alright. This is only a tiny fraction of the bill your demon sister had us pay in that restaurant, Annalea-san.

"Okay then. Agame, let's go."

"No."

The room fell silent in reaction to the blunt response Agame gave to her older sister. Everyone's look on their faces went unreadable.

"Uhh, Agame? What did you just say?"

"I said no."

Well, I wasn't just hearing things. She really just did reject her older sister's invitation to go home.

"Also, why are you acting this way, Annalea-nee? You're acting differently than how you do at home."

"H-huh? What are you talking about?"

Hmm?

Hearing that from Agame and seeing a flustered Annalea's face, I got really curious. I glared at the troubled looking Annalea beside me.

What does Agame mean by "different"?

"Instant Heal!"

"Kyaaaahhhhh~~~~!!"

Completely driven by my curiosity, I quickly groped one of Annalea's breasts with one hand and started to use my magic.

Despite the trashy look I got from Sana who covered Agame's eyes and ears, I continued what I was doing while Annalea continued screaming.

"Yahhhh~~~! Yes! Oh yes, Kaito-san! Give me more~~~!"

"Okay, that's the line!"

Surprised by Annalea's reaction, I quickly removed my hand from her. She then fell to the floor on her knees, breathing heavily.

Glaring at me, Sana commented from the sidelines-

"Kaito-kun. You're despicable."

..and she was scary.

"Don't worry about it, Sana-san."

Sana and I were both confused by what Agame, whose eyes and ears were being covered by the blonde behind her, was saying.

"Annalea-nee is a huge pervert. She always pleads for me to whip her when she arrives home, and forces me to call her names when we're at home."

We were speechless.

"Sometimes, she'd even let me tie her up from the ceilling for an hour. I don't mind though, because at the very least, she'll quit telling me to shove a-"

"Okay, these guys don't need to know about that, Agame!"

Staring with judgemental eyes at the warrior girl who was covering her little sister's mouth with her hand, I began to think to myself-

This girl is not only a huge perv, but she also raised her little sister to become a complete asshole. No wonder Agame is such a demon. What a terrible older sister.

Under all of the judging stares she's getting, Annalea slowly stood up on her feet, slowly regaining her composure.

"Agame, what do you mean you're not coming home with me?"

"I made up my mind. I'm going to become an adventurer and join Kaito-san's team!"

"What?!" x2

Hey hold the phone! I did not agree to that!

Wait a minute, is that why she brought some luggage here?!

"What the hell are you saying, you little brat?! Who the hell gave you that idea?!"

The fidgeting blonde girl behind the little archer gave it away.

"You shitty lolicon!"

I yelled as I pointed at the blonde.

Judging from her reaction, I could tell that Annalea also wasn't keen on the idea. She walked closer to her little sister and tried to reason out.

"Agame, the life of an adventurer is dangerous! I can't let my little sister do something that could hurt her! What if something happens to you?! Besides, you're too young!"

Why do I get the feeling that Annalea's just gonna miss being able to get whipped by her sister everyday..?

"You keep saying that but I'm already thirteen! That's the age of consent!"

I noticed Sana whose expression changed when she heard that.

"Don't even think about it."

"Ngh! I wasn't thinking about anything!"

Annalea, who was teary eyed, looked like she was about to give up.

"Well, I suppose you really are a proper lady now. I can't keep you in our house forever, too. I suppose I could allow you to-"

"Whoa, Annalea-san! Are you really gonna give up just like that? Your little sister's life's gonna change the moment she starts adventuring! Are you really okay with that?! Not only that, who do you think would give you punishment every day once Agame is gone?!"

"Oh!"

There's no way I'm letting Agame get her way just like that. If she becomes an adventurer, Sana would stop at nothing to have her join our team, and knowing this archer, she'd probably keep taking full advantage of her! I can't let that happen! She'll damage our wallet and funds!

"K-Kaito-san! Why does it feel like you're against me becoming an adventurer?"

The observant Agame caught up to me quickly.

"No, it's just that.. Do you really wanna waste your talent on just being an adventurer? With your greatness, you could pass to be part of the king's army or something like that!"

"Kaito-san, the bow my little sister owns was stolen from one of the White Soldiers. With her track record, she can't possibly- Kyaaaaahhhhhh~~!!"

"Instant Heal! Shut up, you disgrace of an older sister! You knew that she stole something yet you didn't do anything about it?"

"I-I'm sorry~~~!!"

As I was performing Instant Heal on Annalea, I noticed Sana whispering something to Agame. The little girl in front of me then cleared her throat to catch my attention.

"Kaito-san, the moment you saved me from those capital scum, I instantly knew how powerful you were. Even though I wield Apollo, a holy weapon that boasts great power, I dull in comparison to you! You're definitely the person who shall surpass the King of Hell!"

Oh!

Agame.. You..

You...

"You fake douchebag! How easy do you think I am?! Do you seriously think I'm that type of person who'd fall for such half meant flattering?! To hell with you!"

"Ow! O-ow! Sana-san, help me!"

I started pulling on Agame's ear after her sorry attempt to butter me up.

"Good night to you!"

"Ah!" x2

I tossed the two sisters out the room. Tidying my hands from touching those two problematic girls and ignoring the sobbing blonde, I walked over to my bed so I could call it a day.

Part 2

The next morning—

I decided to take on small quests so I can slowly gain money back. Also, I was getting tired of Sana chewing me out, saying that she's the only one working between the two of us.

Her part time job at that cat human grooming shop was nifty, but she's right, it's insufficient for the both of us.

That's why I was currently looking for jobs here at the guild quest board.

"Oh? Looking for jobs this early in the morning, Kaito-san?"

"Macy-san! Yep, sure am. Hey, are there any quests that a support like me can take on by myself?"

"My, my, that's going to be a problem. I don't think there are any quests of the sort available right now."

Darn, that sucks. I came here real early too.

"Kaito-san!"

Huh? Hey, that voice..

I couldn't help but gulp down nervously when I landed my eyes on the little archer girl in front of me holding her giant bow just now. It bothered me even more that she's flashing an adventurer's ID straight at me.

"A-Agame? Th-that's a.."

"Right! I, Agame, am now officially an adventurer! My class- marksman! Wahaha!"

I only stiffened like a statue in response to hearing that.

"My, my, what a lovely reunion. Kaito-san, Agame here boasts incredible stats for a marksman. Her accuracy is SS tier- the first of her kind!"

SS tier..?

Well, I'm not that surprised anymore. She does own a holy bow after all.

"Is that so?"

"Ah! I know! Kaito-san, you wanted to go on a quest, right? How about you have her join your team?"

"She's right, Kaito-san! I'm a marksman with top tier accuracy! Everyone in this guild would die for me to join their team! Come on, let's be teammates!"

"No thank you."

I left the guildhall to go do something else for the day and probably wait for another quest that'd fit me tomorrow, leaving behind Agame, who, in a rage, was being held back by the cute pink-haired waitress lady.

Part 3

"Still nothing, huh?"

As promised, I returned the next day to find a quest that I could do on my own. Earlier today, I tried taking Sana with me but she said she can't leave her part time job that easily. Talk about useless.

"Kaito-san!"

"Ah, it's you again. Oh?"

I was greeted by a smug looking Agame holding a pouch full of money that she shook around in an attempt to taunt me.

"Hmmm? Are you looking at this? Well, I took a quest by myself yesterday to dispatch an orc in the forest, and look at this sweet bounty! Kaito, with me in your party, you'd be finishing quests and making money in no... ..time.."

Agame's voice trailed off after I blatantly ignored her, took a quest paper from the board and left for the counter.

"Hey! Quit ignoring me! Hey, you! Grrr!"

Part 4

That quest I took was to dispatch a pair of vultures by the cliffside. The vultures in this world were about the size of a fully grown man.

"Wahhh! Damn it, my plan didn't work!"

Right now, I was being chased by the two death birds. I tried to put them both to sleep while they were roosting in their nest so I could cut their heads with my sword afterwards, but they probably sensed me coming and started chasing me before I could cast my spell.

"Wahhhh! I knew it! Being a support sucks!"

As I was running, I started to sense a strong magic presence. I looked at the source and saw Agame, who was chanting and aiming her bow. After being engulfed in white light, she shot a white arrow that managed to impale both of the vultures. With a thump, the giant birds fell to the ground.

"There you go! I saved your life right there, Kaito-san! That means you absolutely have to let me join your team! Huh? Hey come back here!"

I was already long gone after I chopped the heads of the vultures so I can take them back to the guild to collect the bounty.

"You ungrateful jerk! Get back here now!"

Not even guilty. I didn't ask for her help in the first place. What's important is I finished my quest.

Part 5

"Here you go, Kaito-san. 200,000 nillos for finishing your quest. Congratulations!"

The cute pink-haired waitress lady handed me a pouch of money after I turned over the bounty for those vultures.

It's a mere blade of grass in the garden of money we lost the other day but it's one step closer to regaining that amount of money. Plus, Sana won't be able to chew me out for not being able to make money anymore. It's been a productive day.

"Thanks, Macy-san."

"Mhm! Eh? Umm, Kaito-san, your friend over there looks terribly exhausted. Is she okay?"

"Huh?"

I looked behind me, in the direction where the hot pink-haired waitress lady's finger was pointing at.

The scene was priceless.

Agame was crawling on the guild's stone floor with her giant bow, looking like she's been drained of all energy.

That's what she gets.

She followed me to the edge of the mountains to the place of my quest, didn't she? Unlike her, I could cure my fatigue with my support magic. That's why I wasn't currently a moving raisin like her.

"K-Kaito-san.. Please.. I'll do anything.. Please.."

I was trying my best to hold onto my laughter when three guards entered the guild hall in their light metal armor and spears. All the adventurers went silent.

Guards? What the hell are they doing here?

"Someone informed us of a dirtbag who's been molesting a child and works at this very guildhall! Has anyone seen a suspicious figure that fits that description?!"

All of the adventurer's heads all turned towards me at the same time for reason.

Hey-

"Whoa! What are you all looking at me for?! I haven't molested anyone! Huh?"

"...Kaito-san.. Please.. I'll do.. Anything."

I shivered when I heard Agame say that out loud.

"It's not like that! I haven't done anything to this girl yet! Hey, get your hands off me! I demand a lawyer! I'm the one who shall defeat Hanzo! Who's gonna beat him if you take me to jail?! Gah!"

Right as the guards were about to take me away and right as I was about to have a mental breakdown, a voice called out-

"Wait!"

Everyone looked at Agame, who fidgeted with her bow and looked around different directions uneasily.

"I'll forgive you, Kaito-san. I was the one who called for help from the guards. I'll call off the case if you.. Let's say.. Let me join your party?"

"You-!!!"

This girl's the demon incarnate. Forget Hanzo, she's more befitting of the title of King of Hell!

"You planned this all along?! Well shame on you because there's no way I'm falling for your tricks, demon!"

"Officer, what's the sentence of a pedophile sex offender?"

"Death sentence, ma'am."

..!!

"Okay fine, you win! You win! I'll let you join my team!"

And so it was.

I was played by a little girl.

On top of that, I've been receiving death glares from the other adventurers at the guildhall.

I cried myself to sleep tonight.

Part 6

"Wahhh! Kaito-kun! My bonus! I won't get my bonus if I skip one day of work!"

"Don't give me that crap! We're adventurers, aren't we?! Don't get riled up over that stupid part time job of yours!"

"Take that back! Take that back! The store is slowly booming up in business ever since I started working there! I'm even close to getting a promotion! Wahhh, let me go, Kaito-kun!"

As I dragged along the wailing Sana behind me, we were greeted by Agame by the entrance.

"Good morning, everyone! Ready to take on our very first quest together?! Oh? You two got new clothes?"

"Glad you noticed, Agame! Those old robes that old farmer gave us weren't exactly fitting for the team that'd take down Hanzo, right?"

With the money I got from subduing those vultures yesterday, I decided for a change in wardrobe. I bought a neat looking red jacket with yellow details, and a white shirt underneath.

Sana threw a tantrum at me yesterday night the moment I came back to the dorm with my new outfit and demanded that I give her budget to go shopping for new clothes too, so here she is now white a white and pink sleeveless turtleneck and one shoulder plate.



"Ah! Agame-sama! How do you like my new look?"

"Woah! It looks great on you, Sana-san! But why only one shoulder plate?"

"Fashion sense, of course! This world's fashion is kind of new to me, but I think I did well with this style!"

"Wow!"

...She's saying that, but she could only afford one shoulder plate with the budget I gave her.

Anyways, I decided to walk into the guildhall to look for any good quests that might've popped up.

"Any quests you fancy, Kaito-san?"

"Mm.. No, not really."

"Eh? What do you mean? This board is filled with quests and they all have decent rewards! Look at this! "Strong adventurers needed. Subdue a death goat that's been scaring the livestock." See? Here's another one!"

I ignored the excited Agame and started to scan for more quests in the board.

I decided to be more picky with the quests I'm gonna take.

Since we're a team of three adventurers with different classes and amazing stats, I'm aiming for the more difficult quests.

Think about it, even though we each have our flaws in our own way..

First off, we have a very powerful warrior. Even though she's an amateur and completely clueless about the world of fantasy, she wields godly physical strength that even puts the King of Hell to shame.

Next, we have a great marksman. She's a sadistic, manipulative brat but she is currently in the possession of a Holy Bow that can hit any target possible.

And then there's me, the world's best support.

"I'll take this one! Subdue one of the heads of the King of Hell's army!"

I raised the quest paper I took with a grand pose. Everyone in the guildhall turned their faces towards me with shocked expressions.

"Did you guys hear that? They're taking that quest!"

"No way! A head of Hanzo's army.."

"As expected of the team consisted of the powerful warrior and marksman.."

Hey now, you're skipping me again.

"K-Kaito-kun, judging from the looks we're getting from these adventurers, I think that's a really dangerous quest you plan on taking."

"Don't be bothered by them, Sana-san. Our team is super strong. If we work together, then we'll be able to- Hey, get back here!"

I grabbed hold of the flailing Sana's arm when Agame started to shiver rapidly beside me.

"Huh? Hey, Agame, don't tell me you too?"

"Waaahhhhh! To think that I'd be able to face a powerful opponent such as a head of the King of Hell's army! I was right to join this team! Come on, let's go, Kaito-san!"

Ah, well at least this one doesn't need convincing unlike the blonde I have locked into my grip.

"Kaito-san.. Are you really planning on taking on this quest? This quest has been sitting on the board ever since Hanzo took over Tartaros. Nobody dared to touch this quest since everyone fears his army. Oh?"

"Shhh~"

I placed my finger on the cute pink-haired waitress lady's lips and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"Macy-san, the reason I came to this world was because I wanted to defeat the King of Hell. If I take down his allies one by one, I'll finally be able to reach him and save you and everyone in Ischyos from his wrath. Please, believe in me."

"K-Kaito-san.."

"Shhh~"

From the sidelines, I could hear my other two teammates talking crap about me.

"Has he always been like this, Sana-san?"

"He's a delusional NEET who rarely steps outside. He probably thinks girls all fall for him after watching anime and all that."

"What's an "anime"?"

"No idea."

Remind me to cast Sleep on them before they get to eat anything for dinner later today.

Part 7

Hoot hoot! Hoot hoot!

"Errr... Kaito-san, this place is terrifying."

"Agame-sama's right, Kaito-kun. Why do we have to be in a place like this?"

"Would you quit your whining and help me look for the witch hut? Jeez."

The 30 foot tall trees that surrounded us all looked the same. This place is called "The Forest of Lost Spirits" because of how creepy looking it is. It's a literal haunted forest you'd find in fictional books, but spookier with all the monsters lurking around.

Damn, I mean, I know that this place exists. After all, I know about all the places in Ischyos. It's just that I don't know how to navigate through it. It's a good thing we came to this place in broad daylight. If we don't want things to get even more difficult than they are now then we need to finish this quest before the sun sets.

We were looking for a witch hut.

The quest paper didn't really have any details that could help me identify who we're dealing with here. It would've been a huge head start if I could pinpoint the opponent we're facing.

All I know is that each leader of Tartaros, Hanzo's army used to be a part of his giant harem. Who knows who we're facing?

"Kaito-kun, I wanna go back home!"

"Get a grip, you blonde bitch! The sooner we finish the quest, the sooner we get to go home. Now quit your crying and help me find the witch hut!"

Sana continued crying even after I chewed her out. Agame, on the other hand-

"You seem very confident that we're able to finish this quest quickly, Kaito-san."

I only shrugged smugly in reply.

"Well but of course. I am the best support in the world after all."

"At the end of the day, you're still a support."

"Hey, now."

As I was about to continue the argument, I started to sniff out some bad news.

Sniff sniff..

A monster? No, two.

"Guys, we have company. Get ready!"

"Right!"

Agame started to aim her giant white bow at the direction we're facing while Sana started to wipe the tears off her eyes.

All of the sudden-

"Yaaaaahhhh!!!! Save me!!!"

"A rabbit?"

A tiny white rabbit jumped out one of the bushes. It looked like it was running away from something.

Sana widened her eyes at the appearance of the rabbit.

"It talked?!"

"Sana, the rabbit looked like it was being chased. There's probably a monster nearby, so go all out. I'll use my healing magic if you get injured."

"Eh?! Sure, but are we really gonna ignore the fact that that rabbit just talked right now?!"

"What are you talking about, Sana-san? It's normal for rabbits to talk. Hurry up and take the front lines, Sana-san. My bow will back you up."

"The heck do you mean it's normal?! Ahh, this new world is crazy."

While Sana was experiencing culture shock, the rabbit started to get closer. Accompanied by loud stomping noises, two monsters came running out of the bushes in pursuit of the rabbit.

"What in the world are those?!"

Sana was the first to scream. The monsters' orange bodies and green hair could only mean one thing.

I pointed at the orange creatures and explained-

"Those are death carrots-"

"Huh?!"

"-the rabbit's natural predator!"

"It's the other way around?!"

Sana shrieked.

Yes, in this fantasy world of Ischyos, death carrots, giant carrot like creatures that run on their hind wobbly legs, hunt down the rabbits in this world as prey. They normally don't attack humans, but since they're coming straight our way, we might as well..

"Agame! Can you shoot?!"

"Are you kidding me?! I was born to shoot!"

With this remark, she started to chant. The more she did, the brighter the glow from her bow became.

"I pray to the gods that with my Holy Bow, Apollo, I'm able to cleanse this world by taking down these monsters who defile it! Now!"

A bright arrow came flying from Agame's bow and straight into the forehead of one of the death carrots.

That's one down!

"Way to go, Agame! Can you take on the other one now?!"

I glanced at Agame who was stiffening for some reason.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"K-Kaito-san.. Can you bring back that arrow for me? It's the only one I have."

I was left speechless.

"Agame."

"Y-yes?"

"Screw you."

"Yeah.."

This loli had been acting all high and mighty this whole time to the point where I was actually intimidated by her! She only has one arrow on her?! What kind of BS is that?! This girl reminds me of that one anime character from another anime show who can use deadly magic that destroys everything in its path but can only be used once every day! Without her archery skills, she's useless!

"K-Kaito, I'm scared."

And now, the once confident and powerful Agame's personality had gone through a drastic change. It was as if her attitude shifts whenever she loses the ability to fire her bow.

She's bipolar.

"Sana-san! Agame's useless! How about you take on that carrot monster?!"

The blonde haired idol took a gulp down after I called out to her.

"I don't know, Kaito-kun! What am I supposed to do?!"

"You have bullshittingly overpowered stats! Use them! Damn it, do I have to do everything myself?!"

"K-Kaito-san, can we go home now?"

"What's with the personality change after you lose your arrow?!"

"Please! Save me!"

The rabbit yelled as it and the carrot were getting close.

I guess it really is up to me now.

Agame can't do anything without her bow and arrow. Sana is just a wuss.

This is the time for me, Aoki Kaito, the adventurer who came to this fantasy world to defeat the King of Hell, to show my true powers!

"Now! Slee-"

I tried to touch the death carrot to put it to sleep but with its speed and strength, it trampled me to the ground.

"O-ow.."

As it ran past me, I heard the screams of Agame behind me.

"Yahh! It's getting close!"

"Agame-sama! Get out of the way!"

I witnessed Sana punch the death carrot straight in the face just barely before it trampled over Agame as it was chasing the rabbit.

In just one punch, the death carrot went blasting off into the depths of the forest, most likely out for the count.

"Agame-sama! Are you okay?"

"Was that your doing, Sana-san? Wow! You're amazingly strong!"

"Oh, now, now.."

...

This girl..

After having healed my injuries with my magic, I slowly walked towards Sana-

"Oh? Kaito-kun? Are you here to apologize for badmouthing me earlier? Well, I suppose after witnessing how great I am, you're to get to your senses, no? Yow!"

-and smacked her on the head.

"Piss off! You could've used that abnormally powerful strength you have a bit earlier before I was trampled to the ground, you lolicon idol!"

"Oww, that hurt, Kaito-kun! Hm?"

Standing before us was the rabbit that we sort of just saved.

"Th-thank you so much for saving me back there!"

Part 8

Agame picked up her arrow from the corpse of the death carrot she shot down earlier and gave a sigh of relief. The archer loli then walked back to me and Sana who are currently having a casual conversation with the talking rabbit we just saved.

..

There's a sentence I never would've thought I'd ever say in my life.

"Whaaat? You guys plan on taking down one of the heads of Hanzo's army?"

"That's right."

"Hmm.. You are a weird bunch. But I like you! I know the way to the witch's hut. I can take you there. It's the least I can do to return the favor."

We all gasped in joy.

"Really? For a rabbit, you sure are helpful."

Suddenly, I felt a tug on the back of my shirt. It was Sana, who started whispering to me.

"Kaito-kun? Should we really trust this rabbit?"

"Why not? We did save it's life and all. We don't have any leads to the witch hut either, so we can't pass on the opportunity. Besides, he's a rabbit."

Sana looked at the rabbit who was chatting with Agame behind me suspiciously.

"Hmm. By any chance, are there any were-rabbits of any sort in this world?"

"Were-rabbits? Now that's just stupid."

"Right..."

After she glared at me uneasily, she walked away and started to talk to Agame.

"So shall we go? I'll lead the way."

"Yes, please lead us the way mister rabbit."

Again, a sentence I never thought I'd ever say in my life.

Part 9

"Whoa, that's a creepy looking hut. This is sure to be the place."

It was getting dark out too. The sun was slowly setting. It took surprisingly long for us to get here, especially since Sana needed a bathroom break halfway and demanded that I walk to a really far away location so she can go.

"This is the witch's hut. Why don't you give a knock at the door and see if she's home?"

The rabbit squeaked.

That was a dumb idea. The witch would surely kill us the moment she would lay her eyes on us.

"Agame. I'm gonna go in, so cover me."

"I gotcha."

"What should I do, Kaito-kun?"

"Nothing. That's the only thing you're good at."

"H-hey-!"

Ignoring the blonde who was about to throw another rant, I slowly crept up to the door of the witch hut.

Sigh.

Here goes.

Kaito, you're about to face one of the heads of Tartaros. If you're able to subdue her, you're gonna be one step closer to your mission of surpassing and defeating Hanzo.

You've got this.

"Come at me, you witch! I am Aoki Kaito! The greatest support in Ischyos and the one who shall surpass Hanzo! Today will be your last day! Cower in fear against my almighty.. Wait a moment."

I rushed back outside.

"There's no one here!"

As I said that however, I began to feel goosebumps.

Yes, there's no doubt about it. I can feel intense magical power. It's really close too.

"K-Kaito-san, are you feeling this too?!"

"Wah! What's this feeling?! Kaito-kun, what's happening?!"

Even these two can sense it. That means I'm not just imagining things.

"Ahahahaha! You all fell right into my trap, petty adventurers!"

The rabbit that we helped earlier began to be engulfed in light. In fear, Agame and Sana ran towards my side.

"So it was the rabbit all along?!"

"Wasn't it obvious, Kaito-kun?!"

Sana was unnecessarily killing the mood.

"Bold of you to come looking for me. At the same time, I thank you. It's been a while since I'm able to let loose."

The white light slowly faded, and in place of the rabbit earlier was a silhouette of a girl in a fur coat.

"I'm known as the greatest mage in Ischyos. Now that I've joined Tartaros, everyone fears me as the "Witch". Yes, it is I-"

With her long white hair, silver eyes, and a huge bust, there's no doubt about it. It's definitely her.

"-one of the leaders of Tartaros, Angellica!" x2

End of Volume 1: Chapter 4