MHGA Chapter 172 – Archbishop Miko of the Axis Order
"So why the hell am I the protagonist of a gag series!?"
Inside the holding cell, Kazuma, now slightly tipsy from the alcohol, let his emotions spill out. He slammed his fists against the ground. "We're all protagonists, right!? So why am I the only one without a proper heroine by my side!?"
"Kazuma-san, you've already done a great job!"
Tanjiro replied earnestly, "The Guildmaster said so himself—there's a lot you're capable of doing!"
"Even if you say that, Tanjiro… I'm not gonna feel any better!" Kazuma sobbed dramatically in the cell. "You're the classic righteous protagonist! You've already got that beautiful girl—Kanao, right? It's already confirmed!"
"Kazuma-san…" Tanjiro looked a bit bashful but still said kindly, "Didn't you also come to the Gathering Hub today with your companion? She looked like a very pretty girl."
"But that's Aqua! Aqua!!" Kazuma wailed as he pounded the floor. "Why is she the heroine of my isekai story!?"
"Just look at Naofumi! The heroine in his world is someone like Raphtalia! A beastgirl beauty who's loyal and obedient to him! Meanwhile I can barely manage cleaning up my party's messes!"
"Raphtalia…" Naofumi nodded slightly.
Though his experience in another world had been rough, meeting Raphtalia was certainly one of the few blessings he'd had.
And faced with Kazuma's rant, Naofumi knew exactly what to do in this situation.
"Kazuma, you're mistaken."
Naofumi looked at Kazuma with a serious expression. "It's not just Raphtalia by my side."
"…Wait, you mean—?" Kazuma looked up with a sliver of hope in his eyes.
Naofumi continued, "There's also Filo. And the Second Princess. And I'll meet even more beastgirls in the future. So no—it's not just Raphtalia."
"Cough—!"
Kairo Retsu choked on his drink, staring at Naofumi in disbelief.
When did the Shield Hero become like this!? Is that something you're supposed to say!? Who taught you this!?
Kairo wept for Naofumi's moral decline, having absolutely no self-awareness as he joined in on the roasting.
"It's okay, Kazuma. Just think about your future—an entire harem of demi-humans, plus a bisexual chimera demon king faction officer… all waiting for you! That's your destined romantic fate!"
"I DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF FATE!!!!"
Kazuma shouted in anguish, the Hunters' corner of the cell now filled with drunken camaraderie.
The jail cell had become a surprisingly friendly hangout spot thanks to their inebriated heart-to-hearts.
"Alright, time's up—let's head back to the Gathering Hub!" Kairo Retsu announced.
Meanwhile, back at the Hub…
In front of the other Handlers, Miko Yotsuya had just undergone the ceremony to become the Axis Order's Archbishop for the interdimensional branch…
"So… this is how conversion ceremonies go in other worlds?" Miko stared at the document in front of her with uncertainty as Aqua smiled at her.
She was still skeptical—but just moments ago, this beautiful girl with long, sky-blue hair had purified a piece of dragon meat right in front of her eyes.
A dark, ghost-like residue clinging to the meat—something only Miko could see—was completely purified and vanished. Not only that, even Granny Felyne—the trusted elder of the Gathering Hub—helped confirm that Aqua was most likely a real goddess.
"I… I'm joining?"
In the end, Miko decided to join the Axis Order standing before her—and was promptly granted the title of Archbishop.
"In that case…"
Aqua assumed a solemn, almost divine expression as faint holy light shimmered around her.
"Let us recite the sacred doctrine of the Axis Order together."
The other girls in the room watched curiously as Aqua began to chant, her expression devout:
"An Axis believer can do anything if they try. You are all capable people. If you fail, it's not your fault—the world is to blame. It's okay to run from unpleasant things. Running away is not failure. There's a saying—'Escape is victory.'"
Aqua's expression grew more fervent with each line:
"Any answer you arrive at after hesitation will lead to regret. So if you're going to regret anyway—choose what makes you happy now. Don't worry too much about your old age or future—whether you'll be smiling tomorrow, even the gods don't know. So live for the moment!"
"Laziness is society's fault. A rotten personality is your environment's fault. Being ugly is genetics' fault. Don't blame yourself—just push the responsibility onto someone else…"
"The Axis Order forgives all. As long as you have love and don't break the law—anything is forgivable."
Even though everything she heard sounded… a little off, Miko still earnestly signed her name on the conversion form.
And the moment her name was written, she felt something shift.
It was as though a new power awakened inside her—her body suddenly felt sturdier, and even her very life force felt more resilient.
"Wha—!?"
A sudden exclamation came from the side.
"Where's that holy light coming from!? What's happening!?"
Kairo Retsu burst into the canteen the moment he saw the sacred glow and immediately locked eyes on Miko—standing there with a glowing Axis Order membership form in her hands, looking bewildered.
"Oh no!" Kairo Retsu's eyes widened. "Something's gone terribly wrong!"
Some time later—
Even the usually busy Laios had wrapped up his royal duties and joined the others.
Now five Hunters—minus Kazuma—were seated solemnly around a large round table.
As for Kazuma…
"This has nothing to do with me!!! I'm the victim here! I'm the victim!!"
Kazuma wailed, tied up and laid across the tabletop.
"This was all Aqua's doing! Why am I the one on trial!?"
"Because you're the one who brought Aqua here," Kairo Retsu declared gravely. "Thanks to you, Miko Yotsuya is now an Axis Archbishop. You bear full responsibility!"
"Full responsibility on Kazuma," Joseph said with a completely serious face. "Second vote passed!"
"I agree. Kazuma takes full blame." Naofumi narrowed his eyes. "Third vote done! Time for punishment!"
"WAAAAAIT—!! Don't end the trial so casually! Tanjiro! Laios! Save meeeeeee!!!"
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