" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Sena: SA-TOU KA-ZU-MAAAAAA !! ARE YOU THEEEEEEEEEERE !!

"... What are you accusing him of doing again ?"

Sena: YOU WENT AND DID IT AGAIN WITHOUT EVEN LEARNING YOUR LESSON !! WHAT DID YOU DO THERE ?!

Kazuma: Wait ! What do you mean by that... What did I do ?!

Sena: THE DUNGEON ! Keele's dungeon that's near the town ! Mysterious hordes of monsters are emerging from it !!

"... Keele's dungeon ? isn't that where you guys..."

Sena: They say that the last ones to explore it were your party ! Well ?! Judging from the previous cases, I can't help but think it was your doing ! Am I mistaken ?!

"... ... ... I wasn't there at that time... You didn't do anything... You didn't let Aqua do anything, did you ?"

Kazuma: Even if you throw it at me all at once like that, I don't have anything to do with that at all. You guys don't have any clues either, do you ?

Sena: R- Really... ? I... I see. I'm sorry for suspecting you. But, in that case, that would be troublesome. If it wasn't your doing, we will have to hire somebody and investigate into it...

Megumin: Public prosecutor, you wouldn't possibly ask someone you suspect to carry out the investigation, would you ?

Sena: Gh... Even I wouldn't force someone to do something when they have nothing to do with it ! I'll go to the guild and submit an investigation request. If you happen to change your mind, I hope you would lend me a hand ! See you !

"... ... ... You heard her. Your thoughts ?"

Megumin: I'm curious about those mysterious monsters, but...

Aqua: I don't have any ideas regarding the matter.

Darkness: Same for me. In the first place, neither I nor Megumin went into the dungeon.

"... ... ... Aqua, really no idea ? You went there with Kazuma."

Aqua: of course I don't. No matter how you look at it, you're suspecting me far too much ! In the first place, the monsters in there shouldn't be able to get near there thanks to me, you know ? The magic circle which purified the lich is still right there, after all !

"... ... ... Hey, what did you just say... ?"

Aqua: Eh ? Like I said... The magic circle I went all out creating is still manifesting its power out there...

Kazuma: YOU MOROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON !!

Aqua: It wasn't me... ! It's not my fault !

Kazuma: It's not about whether it's your fault or not. The problem is the very fact that your magic circle is still there. If we don't erase it, they might get suspicious that it might have something to do with us. We must get in there before Sena, and destroy the evidence.

"Of course, you just jinxed it again, Kazuma."

Kazuma: Annnnd crap.

Sena: Satou Kazuma ?

"You sure arrived here quickly."

Sena: I see you're going to cooperate with me in the investigation. I am grateful. The other adventurers will be arriving shortly. On the meantime, please take a look. Those are the mysterious monsters.

"... More than anything, these are adorable. Are you sure these are the monsters ?"

Sena: I- In any case, they are harmless as long as you don't approach them...

Aqua: Why is this ?! I feel so irritated looking at these dolls !! I'm gonna beat them all up !

Sena: Ah ! Don't !

Kazuma: AQUAAAAA !!

Sena: As you can see, if you approach them or provoke them a little, they will launch a suicide self-destruct attack at you. In this situation, we can only defeat them one by one from a distance.

"Troublesome... Now that I think about it, haven't I heard something about these before... ?"

Vendor: Say, you're an adventurer, right ? Recently, weird monsters've been appearing near the town, so watch out !

"Weird ? How so ?"

Vendor: Somethin' about them sticking themselves to any moving object then self-destructing.

"Yeah, that... We don't know about their objective ?"

Sena: I... I don't know...

"Of course... Haaah... Okay, let me try something... Mini blaster, go !"

*CHOMP*

*B-TOOOOOOOOM*

"... Well, that works... It's like poking a bomb with a reeeeally long stick, in the end. Maybe I could see what's in there ?"

Kazuma: Don't try it. If they're overflowing into the surface, there must be heaps of them inside the dungeon... You'll get overwhelmed and caught in the blasts."

*B-TOOOOOOOOM*

"... That one wasn't me... Darkness ?"

Darkness: Hm... I can do it, no problem. I can endure their attacks !! So I'll stay ahead of you and open up a path ! Follow my lead !!

Kazuma: Is she a gorilla or something ?

"I think the problem of defense just solved itself. Just round them up so I can detonate them !"

Darkness: YES~ !! Hahaha, bring me more !!

Sena: A- Are you guys going inside on your own ? It would be better if you waited for the other adventurers...

Kazuma: No... It would probably be better to keep those exposed to danger to a minimum... In many ways.

Sena: ... In that case, please take this with you. It's a talisman which contains a powerful sealing magic. No matter how strong a magical circle is, it will lose its effect once you affix the talisman to it. It is believed that someone is most likely mass-summoning monsters inside the dungeon, so please affix this to the summoning magic circle.

Kazuma: I see... If possible, I hope to avoid coming across that "Somebody" though...

Megumin: Kazuma, can I remain on standby here ?

Kazuma: Yeah, please be prepared to Fire Explosion magic at any moment.

Aqua: I- I'll be waiting with Megumin... I don't want to be left behind in a dungeon anymore. I'll give you guys support magic on you, so...

Kazuma: You...

"I suppose we'll go, in that case."

Darkness: I feel more danger from being with you guys than from the monsters~.

"I suppose I can hit harder than them after all."

Kazuma: ... Can I leave you guys behind in the dungeon as well ?

Sena: Well, please don't push yourselves too hard. Once you figure out the cause, please retreat immediately.

Kazuma: Yeah...

Kazuma: Ugg... This dungeon is as creepy as ever...

Darkness: Let's go all the way through at once. Follow me and take care not to fall behind !

"They're showing up ! I'll gather them up in one place, and you hit them, Darkness !"

Darkness: ... I'M NOT DONE YET !! Hahahahah !! It's hitting !! It's hitting them !! Even my sword can hit these things !! HAHAHAHA !!

Kazuma: That person... She's getting carried away because for the first time, she's up against an opponent on which she can land a proper hit... But, unlike the previous times, there's nothing but these dolls... Where did all the other monsters go ?

"Hey, you talked about that lich's room, right ? Is it far away ?"

Kazuma: if I recall, if we take that corner over there, we... Ah.

???: Hm ?

"You... Are you the one making all these dolls ?"

???: Oh, dear goodness. O' brave adventurers, welcome to my dungeon ! I'm one of the demon lord's generals, as well as the Duke of Hell who leads the devils ! The great devil who sees through everything in this world, Vanir !!

"... Huh.. ?"

Darkness: One of the demon lord's general ?! Stay back !!

Vanir: Woah, calm down, girl. I have no intention of fighting you. Well, you see, I came because I was asked by that Demon lord to carry out a certain investigation in this area, and because I wanted to meet a stupid shop manager who lives in the town, and even gets more poor the more she works.

"... Are you talking about..."

Vanir: Even though I said I'm a general, I'm just a jokes-on-you general who's there just to maintain the castle's barrier. I would never bring about direct harm to humans.

Kazuma: Then... What about these dolls ?

Vanir: Hm ?

"Yeah, these handy chew toys are kinda showing up and making trouble on the surface, you know..."

Vanir: Oh ! I was using them to exterminate the monsters inside the dungeon, but... I see. If they're overflowing outside, then I guess there aren't any monsters left.

Kazuma: Then what are you planning to do ?

Vanir: Just calm down, o' man who has been walking around his room like a bear just because that girl over there didn't come back for a few days.

Kazuma: WHA ?!

Vanir: As a devil, I have a great dream.

Darkness: Kazuma, you...

"To be fair, we kinda all did... We were worried..."

Vanir: I'm a devil who feeds on negative feelings that humans detest. My life-long desire is to meet my end spectacularly after feeding on the greatest negative feeling !

Vanir: AND SO, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT !! First, I'll obtain a dungeon !! Then I'll set up each room with my devil subordinates, and vicious traps !! Veteran adventurers will come to take the challenge !! one day, there shall appear a person who would reach the deepest depths of it. Of course, I will be waiting for him. And after a fierce battle, a treasure chest will appear once I get defeated. The adventurers, who overcame the hardships, will open it...

Vanir: Thus, I wish to meet my end as I watch the dumbfounded adventurers.

"... ... That... ... That's... AMAZING !! Tell me, what kind of traps do you need ?! I can provide !! Minions, too, I can take care of that !! Please just ask !!"

Vanir: You'd help ?

"Of course !! Seeing these guys overcome the challenge of their lives just to be met with a 'Lol no'... Amazing !! I'd kill to see the look on their faces turn from joy to confusion to everything else !"

Vanir: You understand me, my friend !!

"The best part would be just standing back up and laugh at them while you take off with the real treasure !!"

Kazuma: ... I think we should leave these two here...

Darkness: I want to finish him off.

Vanir: Don't say that, o' girl who's worried about whether he saw your ripped six pack when he saw you naked in the bath.

Darkness: WHA- ! M- M- MY SIX PACK ISN'T RIPPED ! ACTUALLY, WHAT'S ALL THAT ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION AND SEEING THE SHOP MANAGER ?!

Vanir: I was planning to work in that manager's shop and use the money I save up to create a large dungeon, but I happened to find a dungeon without a master right here, you see... I'm a genius !

"If anything, the dungeon's most likely empty now, so you can stop with the dolls. By the way, we've got business with the magic circle in the room behind you, so we'll be on our way."

Vanir: Oh, because of that magic circle, I was troubled because I was unable to enter that room as well. You seem to know who set up this powerful magic circle. Let's take a look... ... ...

Vanir: ... Fu... FUHAHAHAHAHAHA !! NO WONDER !! YOUR PRIEST FRIEND MADE THAT BOTHERSOME THING, HUH !

"You, can you... Can you actually read our minds and memories ?!"

Vanir: I'm the devil who sees all through this world. Truth be told, the objective of the investigation was to research the person who defeated Beldia, but that was you guys as well, huh... But to think she would make a magic circle that rejects a devil as great as me... That priest is certainly...

Vanir: I'VE MADE UP MY MIND !! I'm going to give the one who made such a bothersome thing a really hard beating !! Fear not, for its an ironclad rule of mine not to kill "Humans" ! So long as it's a "Human", that is !!

Darkness: You've been uttering nonsense for a while now... !

'... He just put such an emphasis on the world "Human"... Did he discover Aqua's real identity... ?!'

Darkness: I don't get what's going on, but if you plan to harm Aqua, then I can't fall back !

Vanir: Get out of the way. O' girl who has been fidgeting and squirming about pretending to carry that man's child and wondering if he resents you for that. And you, the man who probably wouldn't mind that becoming a reality in a few years of time-

"LALALALALALALALA, NOT LISTENING, STOP MAKING UP RANDOM NONSEEEEEENSE !! NOOONSEEEEENSEEEE !!"

Darkness: T- THAT'S ENOUGH ! THE MORE YOU TALK, THE MORE I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY !!

Darkness: ... Eh ?

"Did... Did you get him ? That was fast..."

Vanir: Or so I made you think. Fuhahahaha ! This body is just a temporary thing I made using my mana ! I won't die no matter how many times you destroy it. And I would rather not spend too much time fighting you either, so instead... I shall show you my secret finishing move !

"H- hey, this looks bad ! Darkness, run !!"

Darkness: UWAAAAAA !!

"D- Darkness ?!"