"I was... I was deceived. Twice, goddess... My self-esteem as a goddess... has been shattered."
Aqua lay slumped on the table, utterly miserable.
Sato Kazuma didn't think she looked much like a goddess, nor did he care much about her fragile ego. But Zunzun had indeed dealt them both a serious blow.
...At that moment—
[Emergency mission! Emergency mission! All adventurers in town, gather immediately at the Adventurer's Guild! Repeat: emergency mission! Emergency mission! All adventurers, gather now!]
The loudspeaker blared throughout the town.
Kazuma's nerves tensed. "Hey, what's the emergency? Are monsters attacking the town?"
"Probably harvesting cabbages," Darkness replied casually. "The harvest time is almost here."
"Huh? Today?"
Zunzun looked slightly surprised too.
Because the climate shifts every year, and he wasn't from the Crimson Demon Clan, the exact date was uncertain. Unfortunately, Megumin and Yunyun were out relieving stress, so they'd miss the harvest festival.
"What? Cabbages? Is there some monster named Cabbage?"
Kazuma looked confused.
"Well, you'll see when you get to town."
Zunzun stood and left, eager to get a good spot.
Darkness nodded. "We should hurry. You two, catch up."
Kazuma and Aqua scrambled after them.
When they arrived and realized it really was cabbages they were talking about, they were utterly speechless.
But when Kazuma saw dozens of green cabbages flying through the sky like missiles, his whole worldview shattered.
"Can I just go back to the stable and sleep?"
Modern people really think like that. Flying vegetables? Even after thirteen years here, Kazuma still couldn't accept the bug-ridden planting system.
He'd expected an attack when he heard the guild's urgent call, but harvesting cabbages? Really?
"Kazuma, don't underestimate these cabbages."
"Yes, Kazuma."
"Look at their impact force. Ordinary people can't defend against them. One careless hit, and you'll have a bleeding head wound."
Aqua pointed toward the frontline.
The defense line formed by many frontline adventurers was breaking apart. Those green spherical cabbages packed terrifying power. Kazuma was reminded of how strange this world really was.
Among the fighters, two stood out.
One was a blonde, blue-eyed crusader, arms spread wide, shielding those kneeling behind her. Her willingness to risk herself to protect others was touching... if only she didn't have that faint blush of enjoyment on her face.
The other was a black-haired, red-eyed grand mage, whose fingertips continuously shot lightning bolts. His electric attacks were weaker than usual but fired in a relentless, machine-gun-like barrage, with no care for precision or collateral damage.
"Darkness and Zunzun... they're really strong."
"Indeed..."
Kazuma reluctantly admitted that after seeing their fighting styles, there was a clear gulf between them and the rest.
Zunzun was working hard—after all, the guild lady had said this year's cabbages were fresh, and you could earn 10,000 Eris per cabbage harvested. There were thousands flying around—this was their chance to get rich!
"Noon!"
Biu! Biu! Biu! Biu!
Zunzun's magic control was excellent—both hands shot lightning continuously and rapidly!
Accuracy wasn't great, but speed was unmatched.
He hadn't learned any sniping skills; magic control didn't determine accuracy.
Still, Zunzun was clever enough to aim for the densest clusters of cabbages, maximizing his hits despite shaky aim.
Just then, Yunyun returned with Megumin on her back.
"We're back!"
"Damn it! I didn't expect the cabbage army to follow me after I used Explosion Magic. Should've been more patient."
Megumin, weakened by magic loss, was clearly frustrated.
Yunyun helped Megumin to the hotel, then returned to assist the fight. With her help, the frequency of attacks increased, and though her magic control was weaker and often burnt cabbages black, her accuracy was far better.
By evening, the cabbage army retreated, and the harvest festival ended.
Zunzun and Yunyun returned to the guild, estimating they'd gathered about 200 cabbages, excluding damaged or ruined ones.
Magic was powerful but dangerous.
Cabbages were fragile and crumbled at the slightest touch, so controlling attack strength was tough. Guilds wouldn't pay full price for damaged goods.
Of course, keeping some for yourself was fine.
Zunzun did exactly that.
After all, eating rare ingredients also gave experience points. For those needing XP, it was worth it if money wasn't tight.
After the mission, cabbage dishes filled the town. Honestly, the taste was mediocre compared to Zunzun's cooking. But since they gave experience points, no one complained.
"Damn, damn..."
Megumin poked at her cabbage angrily, still mad she hadn't done well during the harvest.
"Megumin, don't play with your food—that's rude."
Yunyun scolded gently.
Zunzun didn't care. "Whether you play or not, Megumin, your Explosion Magic is too powerful—it'd just turn cabbages to ash."
"Indeed, Megumin's magic is amazing."
It wasn't one of them who spoke.
Darkness held a plate of cabbage and asked, "Do you mind if I join you?"
"If you mind, I can squat under the table like a dog and eat."
Zunzun didn't even look over.
"Hmm..."
Darkness blushed and twisted her body awkwardly, but it was kind Yunyun who invited her to sit.
Soon, Darkness, Aqua, Kazuma, and the newcomers gathered together. Only Darkness and Zunzun were familiar to Kazuma.
Megumin and Yunyun introduced themselves next.
Thanks to Zunzun's warning, Kazuma refrained from mocking their unusual names, even showing a bit of favor.
Once the 'stupid goddess' settled in, she started chattering nonstop.
"You guys are amazing! Darkness takes hits from flying cabbages like a champ, and Zunzun and Yunyun wield magic so freely. You two must've harvested the most!"
"No way... others are stronger than us."
Yunyun lowered her head shyly, but a slight smile betrayed her happiness.
How was the harvest?
Ordinary adventurers were powerless, while strong ones like Darkness just spread their arms, enjoying being pummeled. Aqua played nurse, tending to the injured and keeping cabbages fresh.
Kazuma was impressive—he used Lurking to suppress his presence, sensed cabbages' movement with Enemy Sense, and struck sneak attacks with Stealing.
All three skills he'd learned were put to good use.
Modern folks apply every tool they had—no waste. That was his advantage.
As praise flew around—
Megumin slammed the table, shouting, "I won't admit it! It's just cabbage. If I had Explosion Magic, I'd harvest way more!"
"Explosion Magic?"
Kazuma was a qualified newbie.
Aqua explained, "Explosion Magic is a hilarious kind of magic."
Megumin glared at Aqua unhappily.
"The best in the world at explosions! If I hadn't been born, the way of explosion would've been a long night!"
She shouted.
Though she hadn't learned much from Zunzun's strength, she did learn all the dirty talk.
At this point, Kazuma understood the Crimson Demon Clan perfectly, and muttered, "Damn, middle schooler?"
"No, Kazuma."
Zunzun lifted his head proudly. "There's only a thin line between middle schooler and strong man. What matters is if you can get the job done!"
"Damn, another middle schooler?"
Hmm? Don't mention it—Zunzun had a sharp tongue.
"So..."
After introductions, Darkness suggested, "Why don't we form a team? High priest, crusader, grand mage... Though there are multiple grand mages and an adventurer, the mix should be good."
"I refuse."
"Hmm—"
Zunzun immediately shot down the idea.
Darkness's defense was strong—she could even withstand Explosion Magic. But she was reckless, charging into danger without care. This wasn't a MOBA where back-row kills counted.
Aqua was powerful too, a high priest with endless healing and resurrection. But she was also a walking disaster—and the goddess worshipped by the Axis cult! He already had one troublesome companion in Megumin—what if Aqua's chaos mixed in?
"What do you mean?! I'm a goddess, and the goddess personally invites you! What else do you want? Join me gratefully! Better yet—worship me!"
"Yeah, it's rare to have everyone with a superior profession," Darkness agreed.
"Don't get me wrong."
Zunzun glanced at them.
"I don't care about your profession, looks, or gender. I discriminate against each of you equally."
-End Chapter-
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