" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

"MANTICORE !!"

Kazuma: We saw !! I- It's headed here ! Hey, Megumin, that damn bastard is coming for you ! Stop chanting for now, if we don't keep our distance, it'll wreck us !

Megumin: W- W- W- Wait a second, Kazuma ! Don't shake me ! The Manticore has high intelligence. It was alerted by the threat of my dangerous spell, so it raised our priority. A- Ah, it's coming !

"GIGANT BONE BARRIER !!"

*SHKRUNK*

"I'll keep it away ! You guys charge and throw stuff !"

Kazuma: Eat this ! Snipe !!

*Tunk*

Kazuma: ... Heh ? The hell is this ?! Megumin ! My arrow was deflected, what now ?!

Megumin: It was simply not strong enough ! Manticores are high-tier monsters that shouldn't be around here ! To it, beginner adventurers' attack are only that: an annoyance !

Manticore: Aha ! You sure give the gentleman vibe, little boy ! Oi, wanna see what I can do with this meat whip ?!

"Getting Sylvia flashbacks here !"

Aqua: leave this to me ! Large monsters like manticores and Griffons need magic to fly ! What i'm saying is, without magic, they'll fall right out of the sky !

Kazuma: Hey wait, nothing good ever comes of anything you do ! Just let me use the blinding combo like usual and... !

Aqua: SACRED BREAK SPELL !!

Kazuma: Whoooooaaahhh ?! W- Wait !! OWOWOWOWOWOW !!

*SCHBROOOOOOOM*

"Of course it had to fall there... Kazuma, are you okay ? Speak to me !"

Manticore: Not bad, boy ! You really are something, if I do say so !

Kazuma: Not bad my ass ! Same deal as Sylvia, why are hybrid monsters all like this ?!

Manticore: Come on, just try taking a shot from my meat whip ! ... Gah, wh- What's this now ?!

Kazuma: Drain Touch ! Drain touuuuuuuch !! Anyone, please come save me ! i'm about to lose some very important things !!

"... Your other virginity, or your life ?"

Kazuma: YES !!

*F-TWOOOOOOOOOM*

"You get off his ass ! Both figuratively and literally ! Why don't you take on someone more your size for a change ?!"

Manticore: Boy, you've got some nerve. A duel, is that what you want ? A duel ?! How manly ! Well, allow me to pierce the heavens from your backyard !

"Stop making everything sound so wrong !!"

Megumin: Kazuma, I- i'm ready ! Leave this to me !!

Kazuma: Don't waste such a spell on the Manticore ! The griffon is far stronger, so leave this cannon fodder be and strike over there !

Megumin: U- Understood ! I've indeed heard rumors saying that the Griffon's level is higher !

Manticore: ... Ohh ? You dare say i'm weaker after years of sustained combat ?

Kazuma: Bring it on, you bastard. You've been acting weirdly for a while now. I actually have a phobia for the likes of you ! Now, watch me overcome my fears and tear you up !

"Um, Kazuma... I know you're acting all mighty because you've got everyone to back you up, but... i've got some news for you..."

Adventurers: Gah ! Another manticore ! It's a female, a female Manticore !

Adventurers: Did she follow along ?! Female Manticores are stronger ! let's take her on !

"We're kinda on our own for this one... Darkness, how are things with the Griffon ?! Are you guys holding the line ?!"

Undyne: Huuuuh... She's under heavy assault from the Griffon ! No, wait, she appears somewhat happy... She seems very calm and serene... !

"Okay, so I don't think we'll have to worry about that Griffon anytime soon..."

Aqua: Yes ! It's working ! Hey, Kazuma ! We'll come help as soon as we get rid of the other Manticore !

"Well wasn't that fast..."

Kazuma: Oi, if you want to save your wife then go ahead. The archwizard holding her magic behind us is the best in Axel. Keep fighting here, or go save your wife ? The choice is yours.

Manticore: ... Things aren't going too well today ! I'll leave you alone. What I'm saying is, I choose to help my wife...

Adventurers: They got Lalatina !!

Aqua: Guys, please do something quick ! Darkness is about to be abducted ! This reminds me of how Emperor Zell caught worms from the yard this morning ! Darkness, in her current state, uncannily resembles a worm that's about to be eaten by Emperor Zell !

Kazuma: Stop with the negative foreshadowing at this critical moment ! Why must you always do unnecessary things ?!

"No, hold on... The two Manticores are rushing for the Griffon ! Darkness, hang in there !"

Kazuma: Megumin, get ready to unleash your spell !

Megumin: Hitting such a big target should be no problem ! No tricks up your sleeve this time ! After we return to Axel, this glorious moment of mine must be told word for word to my little sister ! I am named Megumin !! The elite Archwizard of Axel, the master of Explosion Magic ! Now, have a taste of the ultimate attack I've been holding all this time !! EXPLOSION !!

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Megumin: i'm calling quits. Look, Kazuma, i'm declaring a break from quests.

"I wholeheartedly agree... Three Durian quests in a row is about as much as I can manage without turning properly insane..."

Kazuma: I think we noticed what happens with that...

Darkness: Say, I want to ask, did we really improve at all ? We've never matured one bit since we formed the party, have we ,

"Don't ask me... That's something I'd really like to know as well..."

Megumin: ... ... I want to apologize for Kazuma-san for something... I can never fathom the idea of returning to the olden days again.

Kazuma: What did I tell you ?

Luna: Thanks for your hard work, everyone ! Also, congratulations ! With that, every Durian quest in the city has been completed ! On behalf of all staff members of the Adventurers' guild, I thank you all sincerely !

Komekko: So great ! Everyone is so great !!

Adventurer: Yeah, we're great, aren't we ? It's because we're adventurers of Axel ! Although, your big sis is the greatest. After all, Megumin was the one who killed the Griffon and the Manticore en masse !

Komekko: ... Onee-chan is the best !!

Darkness: hey, have you seen Kazuma and Megumin anywhere ? I let Komekko in her room alone...

"Well, last I checked, Kazuma went to bed early, and I can't blame him for that... As for Megumin, I didn't see her recently, actually... But i'm pretty sure something's about to happen."

Darkness: What will happen ?

"Something called 'Second Base', I believe... So you better not disturb them."

Megumin: Kazuma, are you awake ? If you are, may I interrupt for a second ?

Kazuma: I'm still awake. About to sleep, though.

Megumin: No... It took massive effort for me to visit, don't be so quick to fall asleep !

Kazuma: ... What are you here for this late in the night ? Komekko rarely stays over, are you sure you don't want to accompany her ? Although I haven't a clue when your parents will come pick her up, she can't stay forever, can she ?

Megumin: No, um... Actually, Yunyun came to me just a while ago... She was here to pass a message from the Crimson Demon Village, that the Demon army occupying the village has been successfully repelled

Kazuma: 'It's only been a few days. Couldn't they reserve their potential for something more practical ?'. isn't that good news ? Although, that would also mean...

Megumin: That's right, I heard that my mother will be picking up Komekko tomorrow.

Kazuma: All the more reasons you should sleep by her side tonight. Are you sure you would rather be here ?

Megumin: It's fine, no problem. She's a tough child. Or rather, i'm afraid i'm the one who gets hurt more if I stayed with her any longer... Kazuma, thanks for all your help these past days, i'm extremely grateful.

Kazuma: Don't be a stranger. Mhm, even though I nearly lost something precious due to my laziness and degeneracy, it makes me happy knowing that everything's like when it started

Megumin: Indeed, the battle we had today felt akin to the ones we fought long ago. By the way, do you still remember ? That time when we first met ?

Kazuma: Of course I do, you told me a confusing and awkward name as complete strangers, then abruptly fell to the floor. On top of that, the next thing to come out of your mouth was something about not having eaten for three darn days. Who in the world can forget an experience like that ?

Megumin: Oi, how many times do I have to say this: if you have a problem with my name then tell it to my face. But I actually knew you before. Perhaps Kazuma Aqua and Y/n don't know about this, but I was in fact familiar with the three of you before I joined the party.

Kazuma: Haw...

Megumin: ... Let me explain, it's because of all the fuss you guys had made. Getting in trouble at every turn, raging and crying all the time. Be it working at the guild's vineyard, working at the grocery, you three managed to get yelled at everywhere. And that's how I memorized you guys.

Kazuma: Oi. So you're saying that we left basically no god impressions ?

Megumin: However, despite everything, the three of you always seemed to be enjoying yourselves. That was the real reason I chose your party. At the time, I was thinking of all the fun I could also be having if I adventured with you. Although, if someone told me at the time that "I would take a liking to Kazuma", there's not a chance that I would have believed them either.

Kazuma: huh ? Was my first impression that bad ? It's quite hurtful of you to describe me that way.

Megumin: Kazuma Kazuma.

Kazuma: Yes, i'm Kazuma. What now ? I'm getting very sleepy, so could you stop bothering me ? The alcohol is really taking a toll on my ability to stay awake.

Megumin: It's about time for us to advance our relationship to somewhere between friends and lovers.

Kazuma: ... ... ... ...

Yuiyui: Sorry for all this trouble. Thanks for taking care of my daughters.

"Truthfully, if you ask the guild, I think they'd be more than happy to have Komekko again some time. I'd even say they took care of more things than we did..."

Yuiyui: Oh ? When you say that, in which context did you mean it ? Though I wouldn't mind whatever it might mean. After all, Kazuma-san, my daughter has reached the age to seek romantic partnership...

Kazuma: Taking care as in fighting and adventuring. He meant nothing strange by it.

Yuiyui: I know, I know. I've heard everything from my daughter. I understand you very well, Kazuma-san. Everything's fine as long as you can take the responsibility.

"... Which daughter, exactly ?"

Komekko: The blue-haired Onee-san is so great, she punched a host with her bare fist. The armored Onee-san is also very great, she got eaten by a giant bird. Onee-chan's boyfriend is also super great, he killed a woman with weed killer. The white-haired onii-san is also great, he blasts everything with lasers ! Onee-chan is also super-duper great, not sure why yet.

Megumin: Uuuuuhhhhhhhh...

Komekko: Onee-chan isn't with me tonight, I think she went to her boyfriend's room, then when I went to check, I heard her saying something like being between friends and lovers.

Megumin: Komekko ! So you were awake that entire time ! How dare you eavesdrop on me ?! When did you start listening in ?!

"Wow, guess I wasn't so far off the truth when I predicted Second base;"

Kazuma: You're not helping !!

"i'm not trying to."

Yuiyui: There's no need to hide it. As a mother, i'm satisfied as long as you're happy. Well, Kazuma-san, we'll be calling farewell now... On another note, though I've heard rumors about it before, I didn't believe your mansion would be this luxurious. With that, I can now entrust my daughter to you without reluctance.

Komekko: Goodbye, Onii-san ! I want to eat frogs again the next time I visit.

Megumin: ... Yuiyui, ancestor of mine ! Dost thou honestly have no better topic to discuss during this precious reunion with your beloved daughter ?!

Yuiyui: Hurry up and have a kid.

Megumin: ... Hey, mom... !

Yuiyui: Live a great life, all. I've already thought of a name for my grandchild. Teleport !

Everyone: ... ... ... ...

Aqua: Good morning ! Hey, I'm really craving chicken this morning... Eh ? Where did Komekko go ?

"How much longer were you planning to sleep exactly ? She already left."

Aqua: Ehh ?! Why ?! Didn't we agree to go catch neroids today ?

Megumin: ... ... I'm really sorry for the trouble I brought upon everyone this time... Really sorry for everyone having to deal with my mother and sister...

Kazuma: Come to think of it, wasn't everything caused by your heroic posturing before your parents ?

Aqua: Well, since I'm happy, I'll let it slide. We could invite her over anytime anyway. we'll have to go catch neroids together next time.

Darkness: ... ... H- hey... About what Megumin's mother said a while ago...

"Might I remind you of the whole 'I-have-your-baby' fiasco you pulled on me that time ? You're lucky your father didn't try to look further into it."

Darkness: I- I know, I just-

*Knock knock knock*

Darkness: Huh ? Hello... Who is it-

???: Mommy !!