Chapter 48: Born Evil Little Crimson Demon, I Will Do It Myself...  

After school, since the potion fiasco had been resolved, Yunyun proposed treating everyone to a meal.

Megumin readily agreed, but Zunzun refused.

He was at a critical juncture in his water-walking training. He felt that today, finally, he could break through the bottleneck and fight atop the water's surface like a true battle mage.

Just as he was fully focused, a harsh sound rang through the Crimson Demon Village.

Clang—clang—clang!

Zunzun frowned.

He recognized that bell. It only rang during emergencies. Could the Demon King's army be attacking again?

As he looked up—

A wave of monsters filled the twilight sky.

Vast and varied in size, the creatures blotted out the last light of day. A heavy, suffocating pressure followed in their wake. Then, they began dispersing—scattering in all directions, as if searching for something.

Did the gargoyle potted plant magic malfunction again?

No, that couldn't be it.

After the last neighborhood protest, the principal and staff had destroyed all the gargoyle pots. Besides, the number of monsters overhead far exceeded what the school could summon. These were outsiders.

Did the seal of the Evil God fail?

That seemed more likely.

The teachers had been warning them about reinforcing the seal in the forbidden area this week. And now... this?

Still—

"It shouldn't matter."

This was the Crimson Demon Village, where great magicians roamed the streets like stray cats. No matter how many monsters came, they were just cannon fodder. The principal and teachers probably wanted the seal to fail so they could finally show off.

Above, in the darkening sky, bursts of brilliant blue and white light lit up the clouds—someone was already retaliating.

It looked like things would be under control soon.

Zunzun decided not to worry. The adults would handle it. He should head home and stay out of the way—

Until he saw the direction the monsters were heading.

His face changed.

"That way... that's Megumin's house?!"

No hesitation.

Zunzun turned and bolted.

His speed was outrageous—no, absurd! He didn't move like a typical great magician. From the wishing well to Megumin's front door, it took him three minutes flat.

By the time he arrived, the door had been blown apart.

Megumin and Yunyun stood in front of it, frozen in shock.

"Megumin! Yunyun!"

"Zunzun!?"

He rushed to them.

From inside the slightly cramped and rundown house came the crashing noise of someone rifling through drawers and cabinets.

Hyoizaburoo and his wife weren't home. Megumin was outside. And little Komekko would never be so rude.

Which meant... whoever was inside definitely wasn't family.

"Komekko... Komekko, she..."

"Megumin! Calm down!"

"Komekko AHHHH!!!"

"I said calm down!"

The little loli tried to stumble toward the entrance, but Zunzun stopped her, gripping her small shoulders.

She muttered incoherently.

"N-No, it's fine! Komekko is actually the reincarnation of the Gluttony God, Yaszobogo! If she's in danger, the seal will break and she'll unleash divine fury upon the world—!"

You're also the twin god on the throne now?

And her true form is the Dragon King too?

She was clearly panicking—deliriously rationalizing nonsense to cope.

Yunyun couldn't take it anymore and slapped her.

"Snap out of it, Megumin!"

"Puhah!"

The smack actually worked.

"Ow, ow..."

Rubbing her reddened cheek, Megumin said with uncharacteristic seriousness, "Now's not the time for stupid lines! Komekko... she might still be inside. We have to sneak in and save her, fast! She's small and slippery—no way the monsters ate her that easily! Hurry up! Don't waste time!"

...Just a minute ago she was crying about the apocalypse, and now she's barking orders.

She's seriously hard to deal with.

Zunzun didn't complain. He stepped forward, shielding the two behind him.

"Please, Zunzun!" Megumin gripped his arm, trembling. "Use your exaggerated, disgusting power and blast those monsters to pieces!"

"...What do you mean by disgusting?"

He rolled his eyes.

But she was clearly scared—this was her way of coping.

They crept toward the room where the noise came from. No screams—just crashing and rummaging. Megumin bit her lip. Worst-case scenarios raced through her mind, but she forced herself to stay quiet.

Then, just as they reached the door—

A monster appeared.

It had a bird's beak and lizard-like face. Its eyes locked onto the trio.

"Ahhh!! Z-Zunzun! Zunzun!!"

"Stop pushing! Also, it's a low-level demon. What are you panicking for? Are you even a Crimson Demon?!"

Zunzun stepped up and delivered a clean kick.

The monster didn't even scream. It vanished into black smoke on contact.

...A summoned creature?

There was no other sound in the house. That had been the only one.

Megumin shouted, "Komekko!? Komekko, where are you!?"

But no matter how they searched—every corner, under every table—there was no sign of Komekko.

No blood either.

"She's not here?"

"Outside! Maybe she didn't come home yet! Let's go look!"

"No." Zunzun stopped them. "It's too dangerous. I'll go. You two wait here. She might return on her own."

Megumin and Yunyun had yet to learn proper magic. Against summoned monsters, they were just liabilities.

"But—!"

"Megumin, trust Zunzun."

"...Okay. Please, Zunzun. Bring Komekko back! Also... I'm just guessing, but... she might be in the forbidden area."

"Got it."

Zunzun nodded and bolted out.

The Evil God's cemetery was on the village's outskirts. Under the dim streetlights, the place looked especially ominous.

Surprisingly, even with monsters still flying overhead, none of them attacked Zunzun. They were too focused—searching for something.

Fine by him.

He arrived at the cemetery. It was quiet. Most of the adults were still busy fending off monsters elsewhere.

Then he saw a figure.

Massive. Horned. Wings spread wide as it squatted near a gravestone, gazing up at the moonlight.

Zunzun narrowed his eyes.

"So you're the one behind this. The one who messed up the village."

"...Huh?"

The demon turned, pale yellow pupils confused.

"I'm Zunzun. I've got a question for you."

"I am the Superior Demon, Hos—"

"Don't care."

Zunzun cut him off. "Have you seen a little Crimson Demon girl around here?"

"Wait... aren't the Crimson Demons supposed to announce their name first? That's what the little girl taught me... did she lie?"

He rubbed his chin.

Zunzun sneered. "Why would I introduce myself to a demon? I don't even want to talk to you. You're not worth the effort."

"You—! You damn Crimson Demon brat!"

The demon rose, wings flaring. "You born-evil little Crimson Demon—I'll kill you myself! Hahaha—!"

Before he could finish laughing, Zunzun kicked him square in the gut.

He went flying.

As he flapped his wings to stay airborne, Zunzun launched himself upward with a second kick—but this time the demon dodged midair.

Tch. Wings were cheating.

Zunzun couldn't pull off the "left foot spin-up into sky" trick yet. The demon was nimble, dodging every attack.

Frustrated, Zunzun reached for his adventurer card to unlock some magic.

At that moment, the demon also looked annoyed.

"Damn brat! …Wait, no—she said if I bullied the Crimson Demons, she wouldn't play with me anymore. Tsk! Fine!"

The demon flapped his wings and shouted, "I am Superior Demon Hoster! I'll spare you today! But I'll be back!"

Then he vanished into the sky.

"…'I'll be back'?"

You might as well change your name from Hoster to Meowth at this point.

-End Chapter-

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