"What are you doing here!?"

… eh? What is he on about? I don't think we've met before.

"Er, do you have me mistaken for someone else? I'm pretty sure this is the first time we've met–"

"Are you kidding? There's no way I'd forget you after what you did!"

Now his expression shifted to anger.

Come to think of it, his face does look slightly familiar…

"In my first year of high school, you and your friends crashed my school festival!"

… that does ring a bell. In the early days of my delinquency, I was rather… overenthusiastic. It took almost getting arrested a couple times before I started to tone it down a little.

God, remembering that is almost as painful as remembering my chuuni phase.

"You guys weren't even from my school, but you showed up and started trashing the place! And you even kicked over the takoyaki stand I worked so hard to set up!"

OH, now I remember! This guy was the whiny takoyaki bitch! No wonder he seemed familiar.

To think we'd cross paths again like this. I guess it's a small world… er, small multiverse?

Wait, what should I say now?

"… um, no hard feelings?"

Judging by how he had to take a deep breath to calm himself, I got the feeling that wasn't the ideal response.

"… well, the past is the past. For now, why don't you tell me why you're getting in the way of my quest?"

As he mentioned that, I looked over my shoulder.

The Rookie Killer was currently laying on the ground, nursing its injured leg. It doesn't look like it'll be able to flee now. It looked up at me.

That guy's a jerk.

Well, of course you'd think that, you just got destroyed by him.

I turned back.

"That quest is a farce. This red-eyed Rookie Killer isn't a threat, it's a rare herbivorous variant. That ridiculous bounty is just because some noble got butthurt."

He eyed me suspiciously.

"Uh-huh. And why exactly should I believe any of that? For all I know you just want me to leave so you can take the bounty for yourself."

Of course he wouldn't believe me. Why should he? To him, I'm just a thug.

I sheathed my weapon.

"As tempting as 50 million eris is, I'm tired of breaking promises. Now back off, I don't want to fight you."

He hesitated for a moment, but then decided that I still can't be trusted and raised his own sword.

"I wouldn't want to fight me neither. But if you don't stand aside, I'll have no choice but to attack."

There's no way out, is there?

Welp.

"Okay, let's go! Take this!"

Without warning, I flung my sheathe at him while running forward and preparing for a follow-up strike. An uptight bastard like him won't be expecting a surprise attack–

"Huh, you fight just like he does."

CLANG

He deflected the sheathe and blocked my sword swing with practiced ease, as if he had been training specifically to defend against surprise attacks like that.

"Sorry, but I won't fall for the same trick twice."

He pushed back on his sword and shoved me away a few meters. This guy's raw strength is frightening. It looks like he's planning to use the flat of his blade to avoid killing me, but even a blunt attack from him is a scary thought.

He stepped forward–

CLANG

And in an instant, he was in front of me. I was barely able to react in time to block the blow.

The massive impact jarred my arm. If I block too many of those, I think my arm might start to go numb.

At least the pipe-sword seems undamaged. I might not understand its gimmick yet, but it still has the durability of a divine weapon.

He pushed down harder, and my boots sank deeper into the soft forest floor.

… is he stupid? I stepped back quickly with my right leg and rotated out of his way. Suddenly pushing on nothing, he stumbled right past me, and I gave him a swift front kick, knocking him onto the ground.

That's right, this guy is lacking in combat sense. The only reason he saw through my surprise attack was because he had seen it before.

I just need to capitalize on that naivety.

He quickly got to his feet and brought up his guard again.

"Not bad, but you'll have to do better than– oof!"

While he was trying to sound tough, I rushed in and shoulder-tackled him.

He was sent stumbling further back, and before he could respond I flipped my weapon into a reverse grip and closed in again, swinging my pommel at his head. He blocked it, but then I followed up with a left hook, which he narrowly dodged.

That magic sword is a big threat, but weapons like that can't be used properly at super-close range, and I doubt this guy has any experience in fisticuffs.

I continued assaulting him with the moves I picked up during those years fighting in the streets, but although he couldn't retaliate, his reflexes were just too fast for me to land any solid hits.

"Dammit– back off!"

Eventually he found an opening and shoved me, pushing me back several meters. Not wanting to let me close in again, he started attacking with his sword.

Overhead, left, right, left again. He telegraphed his moves clearly, but since blocking them was risky, I was forced to dodge and backstep.

I tried to take the momentum back by feinting left and then attacking right, but it was the same old story: his reaction speed was too fast for the feint to have any real effect, and my attack was parried.

I took another step back and heard a growl a mere meter behind me, and I realized I had been pushed all the way back to where my VIP was.

Shit, how can I throw this guy off? I need to do something that'll force him to pause…

… I had an idea, but it meant throwing away something important.

But I can't think of anything else, and I'm out of time.

… fuck it.

Megumin better pay me extra for this.

I reached down to my waist with my left hand– and pulled up my shirt, flashing my bra at him.

"Agh! W-What are you–"

The effect was even better than I anticipated. Mitsurugi immediately shielded and averted his eyes while letting his sword drop from the guard position.

I got just what I wanted, yet I still feel like I lost something more precious. Well, that's war, I guess.

"Sweet dreams, fucker!"

I swung my pipe-sword at his head.

The metal struck his skull with a resounding CRACK, knocking him to the ground.

…

"… that really hurt. You're just full of dirty tricks, banchou. But that's enough playing around."

I simply stared in disbelief as he stood up, rubbing his head but looking no worse for the wear.

An attack like that should've been a guaranteed concussion… but this is an RPG world. I suppose this is just the difference in our levels.

He stepped forward.

Before I could recover my wits and dodge, he launched a two-handed upwards swing at my side.

I blocked it with my own weapon–

And I was sent flying into the air.

CRASH

I slammed into a tree at the edge of the clearing. My vision was going blurry from the impact.

"Just stay there and don't cause any more trouble. I'll be finished with this soon."

"Snarl…"

Their voices sounded like they were coming from the end of a long tunnel.

Ah, I know this sensation. I felt it the first time I got into a fight and lost.

I'm passing out.

… so I guess I failed, huh? A girl I'd never met before saved my life, and I couldn't even repay her.

…

No, that's not it. That's not why I took that request, is it? It was an unreasonable request to begin with, and I know she wouldn't have blamed me if I had refused.

So why did I get so fixated?

Because she spun me a sob story about the poor innocent monster?

About how it did nothing wrong, yet got tossed aside like garbage, and had its heart broken, and never even got the chance to know why I abandoned him?

… ah. That's right.

It was about him. It was always about him.

The first promise I ever broke.

And now I'm about to break another one.

My vision was fading fast. I could just barely make out the shape of a young man drawing back a sword for a swing, and the beast getting ready to dodge, despite only having three usable legs.

How am I going to face Megumin? Am I just going to run away again? Like I did when his brother questioned me?

…

…

…

… I don't want that.

I'm sick of running.

I'm sick of not being able to look myself in the eye when I look in a mirror.

And most of all, I'm sick of letting people down.

No matter the price… I want to save that creature…

… I felt a strange sensation deep within me. Like there was a string with one end attached to my core, and the other end reaching towards the creature I wanted to protect.

The young man swung his weapon.

The beast tried to sidestep.

I sent the string to attach to the beast.

Slice

The beast avoided a fatal blow, but the sword still traced a huge cut along the side of its body.

But not a scratch appeared on its jet-black fur.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"W-What the hell? What's going on!?"

I screamed out in pain while grasping my side.

A huge gash had appeared on my torso, from my shoulder all the way down to my waist. Blood was spilling out profusely. My clothes weren't damaged at all, though they were starting to get soaked with blood. I'll have to go shopping later.

Well, on the bright side, the searing pain is now keeping me from losing consciousness.

Mitsurugi heard my scream and looked over after noticing that his attack failed to hurt his intended target. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together.

"Y-You… is that your cheat power?"

That's probably what it is, isn't it? Such a crazy power… I could've died just now. I got chills thinking about it.

But this is a fantasy world, so there should at least be revival magic, right?

I smirked at him.

"… that's right… if you want… to kill that beast… you'll have to kill me first."

Even if there is revival magic, the act of murdering someone in cold blood should be anathema to a self-righteous person like him.

He shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you insane!? You've already reincarnated once, so if you die revival magic can't bring you back again!"

Holy shit, there was a rule like that? Isn't this a super dangerous power for me then!? That could've been game over for me!

Trying to keep my thoughts from showing on my face, I just smiled back. In a way, this actually works more in my favor, since I can put more pressure on him.

"That'd just… make you a murderer… wouldn't it?"

Mitsurugi turned to look at the Rookie Killer, then back to me.

Finally, he sighed and sheathed his sword.

"… to think you'd actually go that far. I guess this means this is my loss, then?"

He looked into the Rookie Killer's brilliant red eyes.

It gazed back with a strangely calm expression.

Yeah, you lost, so please leave me alone.

Mitsurugi didn't comprehend the meaning behind the look, but he seemed to understand that it wasn't going to try anything funny.

He turned to me.

"Since you went that far… I suppose you were serious about what you said earlier."

What I said? Oh, he means about the quest being a load of bull.

"Yeah… now give me… a potion or something… I'm fucking bleeding out…"

"Oh, right! Sorry!"

He approached me, taking out the half-full bottle of red liquid he drank from before as he walked.

"A… fresh one… asshole…"

"Sorry."

I didn't actually know if he had more than one bottle on him, but he put away the used bottle and pulled out a full one.

"Here, about half of this should fix you up."

He tried to hold it up to my mouth, but I glared at him and snatched the bottle out of his hand.

"Just cause… I'm bleeding out… doesn't mean I'm an invalid."

I chugged half of the contents, and felt a strange prickling sensation as the gash closed itself up.

I got to my feet, but suddenly felt light-headed and had to lean on the tree behind me.

"That potion doesn't replace lost blood."

"Yeah, I noticed."

Once I felt steady on my feet, I made my way over to the injured Rookie Killer.

Mitsurugi watched, but didn't make any move to stop me.

I let it sniff the contents of my potion bottle, then poured some in my hand and allowed it to lap it up. Once I'd administered most of the remaining potion, its foreleg was healed, and after testing its weight on the leg, it stood up.

"Now get out of here, you bastard. I'm not gonna do something like that again if some other crazy cheat-wielding hunter finds you."

Thanks.

I never thought of cats as being able to smirk, but that was the impression I got from it.

It nuzzled me gently, then turned and left the clearing.

Once it was gone, Mitsurugi called out to me.

"So… do you need me to show you the way back, or…"

"Oh, fuck off, takoyaki bitch."

I slumped in my seat in the guild. Mitsurugi went his own way at the forest, saying he needed to reflect on the nature of the goddess's trials for him.

I'm really tired.

It's only late afternoon, but I'm planning to go up to my room and pass out once I finish this mug of neroid.

I looked around as I drank.

Megumin hasn't come around yet, but come to think of it, it seems livelier around here than before.

"Hey, did you hear?"

I listened in on the conversation one table over.

"Hear what?"

"They got the ingredient!"

"Ah, so they were able to make the medicine for the orphans then?"

"Yep. Despite how he is, you can always count on Kazuma to come through when it matters."

Kazuma, huh?

If I remember right, my plan was to use what Megumin paid me to get out of town so I could avoid him. After that whole ordeal, though, I realized I didn't want to run anymore.

That annoying masked devil was right. Sooner or later I need to face him, or I'll just keep suffering from guilt the rest of my life.

I just need to figure out what to say–

SLAM

"We did it, everyone! Darkness's daughter is saved! Drinks are on me!"

"H-Hey, stop calling her my daughter when you know that isn't true!"

A group of people barged into the guild, and after the announcement of complimentary drinks, everyone started cheering.

That sounds nice, but I don't drink.

Megumin was among them. I started to call out to her…

Wait.

That weak-looking guy in the middle of the group… is that…

"That's right, everyone! I, the great Satou Kazuma, have once again saved the day!"

"Seriously, everyone, she's not my daughter…"

It's really him.

Come to think of it, we haven't seen each other since that day in middle school.

He's a lot taller now than he was then.

And he looks a lot happier.

Wait, shit!

In a panic, I whipped out the fedora I had folded in my back pocket, pulled it over my head, and put my head face-down on the table to hide my face.

I said I would try and meet him, but this is way too sudden!

"Waitress! Crimson Beer for me!"

"Kazuma-san, I get that you're excited, but please take a seat first, at least."

"Yeah, yeah."

Okay, calm down. I didn't recognize him at first, and it'd probably be the same for him. In fact, more so, because compared to him I think my appearance has changed a lot more over the years.

I just need to lay low and wait until he gets drunk, and then I can slip out.

I need time to prepare myself, after all.

There was a scraping sound as the chair opposite me at my table was pulled out, and a sigh as someone sat down.

"You know, that quest was actually a huge pain. Really, everyone should be buying me drinks… sip… say, I don't think I've seen you around here before. I'm the billionaire adventurer, Satou Kazuma. Are you a newbie adventurer? If so, then let me tell you, sip, the first thing you wanna do, is be extra careful when it comes to finding companions…"

I couldn't help but scream internally.