Theo's awakening was anything but pleasant. The sunbeams filtering through the small window of his room in Axel felt like direct accusations. He remained lying on his back, staring at the wooden ceiling, trying with all his might to suppress the memories of the previous night in the cave. However, his mind, treacherous and lucid, returned every detail to him: the pressure of his hands on Darkness's wrists, the wild glow in his own yellow eyes, and that charged atmosphere that almost led him to commit an act of madness.
"I am a complete idiot" - he thought, covering his face with one arm.
The feeling of shame was slimy and hard to shake. It wasn't just the fact of what he had done, but knowing that he had done it under the influence of the Inner Beast. It felt like a moral hangover of epic proportions; that kind of regret you feel when you drink too much and do something stupid, only to wake up the next day wanting to erase your existence while lying to everyone saying you "don't remember anything." Theo didn't drink alcohol for that very reason, to maintain control, and now he had discovered that his new skill was the magical equivalent of ten bottles of cheap liquor in the hands of an impulsive teenager if he didn't control it.
"Alright... forget it. The 'future me' will have to deal with Darkness... and with the lecture Chris will surely give me when she finds out" - he whispered, feeling a shiver as he remembered that Eris, from her divine throne, had probably had a front-row seat to his "dominant moment."
Decided to flee from his own thoughts, Theo sat up and manifested the system screen. He needed a distraction, a mission that would take him out of Axel and away from the melancholy gaze the crusader would surely dedicate to him today.
Upon opening the missions section, a new entry blinked in blue:
[World: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.
Description: Help take down the Grand Witch and her followers before they successfully perform the Blood Moon Ritual.
Reward: x1 Gacha Ticket]
Theo arched an eyebrow. He had been checking the daily missions for the last few weeks. Some were generic fantasy worlds, others seemed like nightmare places he wouldn't visit for even ten golden tickets, but this one... this one was familiar. It was the cinematic version of the tale, a world of action, mechanical crossbows, and witches with rotting faces.
"A fairy tale again" - he murmured, though he accepted without hesitation. - "At least this one has more gunpowder and fewer moral lessons than Red Riding Hood."
The teleportation process was painless but dizzying. The warm air of Axel was instantly replaced by a cold, damp breeze that smelled of pine and wet earth. When his feet touched solid ground, Theo found himself, to his lack of surprise, in the middle of a dense forest.
"It seems forests are the standard entry point for these things" - he thought, taking a quick look around.
He made sure no one was nearby before performing his scouting routine. He climbed a tall fir tree with the agility granted by his capabilities and scanned the surroundings. A few kilometers away, smoke from chimneys indicated the position of a town. After descending with a light jump, he set out on the path, adjusting his Trench Coat of the Imperturbable Globetrotter.
The trek was not difficult. Theo moved with a new confidence, taking advantage of his speed to shorten distances. Upon reaching the outskirts of the town of Augsburg, the atmosphere changed radically. It was a much cruder and less "colorful" medieval architecture than that of Konosuba. Here, the filth was real, and fear was palpable in the air.
He pushed his way through a loud and angry crowd gathered in the central square. In the center, a man with a sheriff's badge—a fellow with an unfriendly face named Berringer—was shouting accusations at a young woman named Mina, claiming she was a witch and that they should execute her.
Theo stayed at the fringes of the crowd, half-listening to the sheriff's fanatical speech. It was the typical witch-hunt scenario: ignorance fueled by fear. But the "show" truly began when Hansel and Gretel made their entrance.
The two hunters appeared with an imposing presence. Hansel looked young, with the gaze of someone who has seen too much blood for his age, and Gretel... Gretel emanated a cold, professional authority. Their reinforced leather outfits and advanced weaponry for the era were a sight to behold. Theo watched with interest as Hansel interrupted the execution with a warning shot, quickly establishing who had control of the situation.
Theo remained on the sidelines, watching the scene with cynical interest. The tension exploded when the siblings demonstrated, through a quick examination, that Mina did not have the marks of real witches. Berringer's authority crumbled in front of the whole town when the mayor himself appeared as well, and when he tried to regain control by force, Gretel delivered a headbutt to his nose that sounded like a dry branch snapping.
'That had to hurt... a lot' - Theo thought, seeing the sheriff walk away humiliated while covering his bloodied face.
Taking advantage of the siblings meeting with the mayor at the town hall, he followed them using his stealth skill; he stayed near the town hall building, listening through the open windows while the siblings talked with the mayor. Theo heard how the mayor paid them to find the missing children, and it was at that moment Theo decided he needed to fund his stay in this world. It wasn't that he lacked resources in Axel, but the currency here was different and he wanted to move freely. Besides, he had the perfect target.
After finding the sheriff's station, Theo infiltrated Berringer's office with the ease provided by his level 14 capabilities and thief skills. He didn't rob him directly from his pocket; he was more subtle. While the sheriff was having his face tended to in the adjoining room, Theo gathered all the money—without exaggerating—that was in the room. He knew Berringer wouldn't survive long in this story, so he considered the loot an advanced "cleaning tax."
He headed to the local tavern, the place where he knew Hansel and Gretel would end up sooner or later. He ordered a simple meal: a meat stew and a piece of rustic bread. Upon tasting it, he noticed the difference immediately. The world of Konosuba had an almost magical quality to its ingredients; here, the food tasted of survival. It wasn't bad, but it was... heavy. Real.
Half an hour later, the tavern doors swung wide open. The siblings entered, drawing every gaze. They looked tired and covered in dust, but quite cheerful after their first stint in the forest. But that was to be expected, since they had managed to take down a witch.
When the moods settled and the siblings were able to eat and drink a bit after everything that happened today for them, Theo knew it was the moment. He stood up, adjusted his trench coat, and walked toward them with a calm step, ignoring the gazes of the few drunks left in the place.
"I hope I'm not intruding" - Theo said, stopping in front of their table before the siblings' young fan could interrupt them. - "But I need to talk to you..."
Hansel and Gretel looked up in unison, their hands instinctively going toward their hidden weapons.
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I've been thinking and I'm going to start the Konosuba plot, although I would have liked to delay it a little, I think it's for the best.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.