8 I want to have my fun
[1 week later]
After everything calmed down, Aqua asked to the party.
Aqua: I want to take a quest! It's fine even if it's a bit hard, let's take a quest!
Alex: Huh?
Except for Aqua, their wallets were full, Alex would like to go in a quest, but every monster was too strong for him to safely kill, his weapons are strong, but that didn't mean he himself was strong, he could easily die with a single strike if he isn't careful.
And it wasn't the mid-level beasts that were around, but the high-level monsters, which was still out of his range for now.
Even now, he could try to fight against the Dullahan alone, but even if his power matches his, he would die with a swing of his sword.
Darkness: I'm fine with it… But I alone won't have enough combat power and Megumin…
Aqua: Please, I beg you! I don't want to work anymore! The store owner gets mad if I don't sell all the croquettes! I'll work hard! I'll do my best this time!
Alex looked at everyone else and nodded.
Alex: All right then… Then look and see if there are any quests that look fine. We'll go with you if the quest isn't too bad.
Aqua immediately rushed at the board after saying that.
Megumin: ...Alex, shouldn't you look too? If you leave it to Aqua, she'll probably pick an incredible quest…
Darkness: ...You're correct, but I won't mind even if the quest is a bit hard.
Alex: You're right…
He came to the board and saw Aqua taking a quest.
Aqua: ...Good!
Alex surprised her by snatching the quest away and read it.
Alex: Hunting the Manticore and Griffon, the Manticore and Griffon are fighting for territory. It is dangerous to leave them alone, please hunt them both. Bounty is 500'000 Eris… Are you retarded?! Not even my control over swords are fast enough to catch a flying monster like a griffon!
Aqua: What we need is to let Megumin hit them with an explosion while they're together to settle it in one shot. Why are you so timid…?
Alex clicked his tongue and put back the quest where it was, and then, he felt a tug on his sleeve and turned around, seeing an excited Aqua.
Aqua: This one! Look at this one!
Alex glanced at the quest she was talking about.
Alex: Lake purification, the lake which was one of the water sources for the town has been polluted; brutal alligators have moved into the lake. We request for someone to purify the lake. The monsters in the lake will leave after purifying it, so there is no need to fight these monsters.
Requirement: Priest with purification magic, reward is 300'000 Eris… You can purify the lake?
Aqua snorted and said.
Aqua: Idiot, who do you think I am? From my name and appearance, you should be able to tell what kind of goddess I am, right?
Alex: Sloth incarnate.
Aqua: As if! I'm the Goddess of water, all right! Didn't you see my beautiful blue eyes and hair?
Alex: Anything else to know?
Aqua: The monsters will harass me while I'm purifying the water, right? Before I finish the purification, I hope you can all protect me from the monsters.
Alex: How long?
Aqua: ...About half a day?
Alex: How does it work?
Aqua: I just need to touch it with my hand and continuously cast purification magic.
Alex thought about something that would ensure safety and fun for everyone while doing the job… Almost everyone.
[Later]
There was a large lake some distance from the town. The lake was one of the town's water sources. A stream that flowed out of it and lead straight into the town. But the lake appeared a bit murky and showed signs of stagnation, it would be good if something like this would be purified in half a day.
A timid voice came out from his back.
Aqua: ...Hey… Are we really going to do it this way? ...I feel like a captured rare monster that's going to be sold…
Aqua was currently in a steel cage locked with a key, hugging her knees in the center as she spoke.
The plan was throwing her in the lake, they had the guild loan the cage to them. They even attached a strong chain to the cage if the monsters didn't leave after the water was purified.
Aqua: ...I feel like a tea bag being drained of its flavour… Hey Alex, are you sure you will protect me with your swords?
Alex: Don't worry, if things go to the deep shit, I will send some Oblivion Blades of Nulgath right to you.
Aqua nodded and then she was put on the water.
[2 hours later]
Nothing happened, the party was 20 meters away from Aqua.
Alex: Hey Aqua! how is the purification going? is it cold staying in the lake? Give a holler if you want to go to the restroom! I'll let you out of the cage!
Aqua: Purification is proceeding smoothly! And I don't need to go to the restroom! Archpriests don't go to the restroom!
Alex nodded, and checked his adventurer's card, if everything goes nicely, he will gain more skill points, after he had his fun… Maybe he can buy Unsurmountable, or even Shackle if possible.
[Shackle]
>Level 0/2
>Cost: 15 Skill Points
>Surrounds the user's body and soul with chains, giving much more protection to him and lasts 2 minutes.
Apparently there was a follow-up skill called Unshackle, it seemed a bit different from what he remember from what the wiki said about the Void Highlord.
Meanwhile, without even asking about it, Megumin answered.
Megumin: There seems to be no problem. By the way, Crimson Demons don't need to use the restroom either.
Darkness: As a Crusader, I also don't… need to go… Ugh…
Alex: Darkness, don't compete with these two. And as for you two, I will think about accepting quests that might last an entire day since you two don't need to use the restroom.
Megumin: Don't… Don't do that, okay? Crimson Demons really doesn't use the restroom! But I apologize, so don't do that… By the way, the brutal alligators aren't showing up. It would be great if things end peacefully like this.
And as if on cue, ripples appeared on the lake. In terms of sizes, the alligators were as big as those on Earth, but they were monsters, so they shouldn't be underestimated.
Aqua: A-Alex! Something's coming over! No, lots of things are coming here!
[4 hours later]
Aqua: Purification! Purification, Purification!
A large group of alligators was surrounding Aqua's cage and gnawing at it.
Aqua: Purification! Purification–! The cage is creaking! It's creaking! The cage, cage is making weird sounds! Purification! Purification–! … Wahahaha–! There was a cracking sound! The cage made a sound it shouldn't be making! ALEX!!! HELP!!
Darkness: ...Staying in that cage seems rather good…
Alex: Don't even think about it.
Megumin: ...Should you help her?
Alex: Shhh, let me enjoy my only source of fun…
[7 hours since the purification began]
The battered cage was alone in the lake. There were bite marks all over the cage after the brutal alligators left the cage and tried to move upstream, but the Combat Soulreaper of Nulgath immediately reaped away their souls, giving Alex 15 Skill Points since they were mid-level monsters and 10 more skill points thanks to 5 level ups.
These alligators gave really much Experience points, and he reached level 18, thus gaining a total of 31 skill points, he used 10 to buy Unsurmountable and 15 to buy Shackle.
[Unsurmountable]
>Passive Skill
>Level 1/1
>Every time your attack connects, you have a small chance to apply Unsurmountable to you, which increases your vitality by 50% and slowly regenerates your wounds for 1 minute.
[Shackle]
>Level 1/2
>Cost: 20 Skill Points
>Surrounds the user's body and soul with chains, giving much more protection to him and lasts 2 minutes, when the skill is used, it will release a small shockwave around you to fling away nearby foes.
>[NEXT UPGRADE] Your speed will increase of the 50% and gain great regenerative powers.
Now he has only 6 skill points. Alex pulled Aqua away from the water and saw her hugging her knees and crying, maybe he got too far with the prank…
Alex: Don't worry, you did all the job this time, so you will get the entire reward… Hey, it's time to come out of the cage, all the brutal alligators are gone.
However, Aqua just mumbled.
Aqua: ...like this…
Alex didn't heard her and asked to Darkness.
Alex: What did she say?
Darkness: ...She said the world outside the cage is scary, so bring her back to town as she is.
...Oops… She may have got a PTSD…
They were back to the town, and Aqua was singing a ominous song.
Alex: Hey Aqua, we're already back in the town, so can you stop singing that song? We're gathering a lot of attention just by dragging a battered cage with a woman hugging her knees inside. And it's safe back in town, so it's about time you come out.
Aqua: Don't want to. This is my holy realm. The world outside is scary, so I don't think I'll be coming out for a while.
At least they completed a quest without any issue…
?: L-Lady Aqua! Isn't this the Goddess? What are you doing in such a place?
...Oh god… Wait, since he is a Void Highlord now, should he pray for Nulgath?
