DxD: My Main Skill is Winning Hearts

Chapter 97 – Running Lizards (Part 1)

"Calm down, calm down. I'm not here to fight." I said with my hands raised. "I was just... hunting giant frogs and happened to see you passing on the road. I couldn't help but follow, you're well known in Axis."

"Well-known?" Aqua repeated what I said, and her eyes lit up almost immediately. She crossed her arms and gave Kazuma a triumphant look. "Of course we're acquaintances! We're members of the best team of adventurers Axis has ever seen!"

I could almost feel the embarrassment that crossed Kazuma's face. He quickly massaged his temples, as if he already knew where this conversation was going.

"So... you were hunting giant frogs? New to the area or something?" Kazuma asked.

"Yes. I'm a novice adventurer. I've heard a lot of stories about you guys and I wanted to get a closer look at how you handle your missions..."

"You've come at just the right time!" Megumin raised her staff proudly. "I'm the greatest Blast user this world has ever seen! I'm sure hearing about my exploits is what brought you to us!"

Kazuma took a deep breath. "So, tell me... what's your name?"

"Leonard." I replied, finally putting my hands down. "Today is my first day as an adventurer. And you have this... reputation, you know?"

"If you've followed us this far, Leonard, you should know that our path isn't easy," said Aqua, placing a hand on my chin and showing an expression of confidence. "Fame comes with power, and power comes with great responsibility."

"So... what's your mission today? Something big, I imagine?"

"We're going to hunt Running Lizards!" Kazuma replies. "It's not the most glamorous job, but... someone has to do it."

Running Lizards. I vaguely remembered them. They were fast, big and, if they ran in packs, could be quite dangerous. For a group that included a goddess, a self-proclaimed world's greatest Blast user, a sadomasochist and a panty thief, they might have seemed like just another nuisance. But for me, it was an opportunity to earn a lot of XP fast.

"Interesting... It's a team mission, then?"

"Yes. Those lizards are fast, but with my Blast... there's no escape!"

"And why the interest, Leonard? Are you going to tell me you want to join us on this mission?"

"Well... I thought I could be useful. I'm a novice, but I'm willing to learn. Maybe you can teach me a few things in the process."

"Hmm... Nah!" Aqua said. "Our team already has perfect synergy. Each of us has a well-defined role, and introducing someone new all of a sudden could upset the balance. As well as reducing profits..." She whispered the real reason at the end.

"I see. But maybe... I can help in another way?"

Kazuma crossed his eyes. "What kind of help are we talking about?"

I knew this was the moment to pull my trump card. With a slight smile, I put one hand behind me and then pulled out a gold purse, letting the many coins inside make a satisfying rattling sound.

"I can pay for the lesson."

As I imagined, the effect was immediate.

The tired expression on Kazuma's face disappeared, replaced by a glow that I could only describe as greed. Aqua, who just a few seconds ago seemed so stingy, looked at the bag full of money as if the bag were a deity and not her.

"Ah, but of course we can make an exception!" Aqua exclaimed, advancing towards me with a smile as fake as her sudden enthusiasm. "You know, Leonard, we don't always follow such strict rules. I think we could use a dedicated adventurer like you on our team!"

Kazuma, now with a mischievous smile on his lips, shrugged casually. "Yeah, looks like there's room for one more. After all, teamwork is about flexibility, right?"

The change in their attitude was almost comical. Suddenly, the team's "perfect balance" wasn't so important anymore. I held back my laughter, realizing that I had been right on the money.

"So, will you take me on?" I asked, still holding the bag.

"Of course!" Aqua replied cheerfully, while Kazuma just nodded. "It will be a great honor to have a novice adventurer as an apprentice!"

Megumin put her staff down after holding the honorable pose with her staff up for so long. "Well, if he's willing to witness the power of my Blast, then that's fine by me."

Darkness crossed her arms under her huge breasts. "If the majority agree, then it's fine with me."

With that, it seemed that I had officially succeeded in being accepted by the main group. Well, I'd used the greed of the first two members to do it, but it was a valid weapon, considering that they probably wouldn't have accepted me otherwise.

"Great." I said, putting the bag away. "So, what's the mission?"

Kazuma slung an arm around my shoulders and started walking with me. "It's simple, very simple. There's a large group of Running Lizards on a plain nearby. I don't know if you know, but they only gather in packs when there's a female and the males compete to see who can reach the female to mate. If that were all there was to it, we wouldn't necessarily have to go to the trouble of eliminating them, but the problem is that the flock destroys everything it passes and can even end up trampling people to death."

"I see, I see." I said, with a hand on my chin. "So you were hired to dismiss this group?"

"Exactly. You're a very smart rookie." Kazuma said, flattering me. "I've already got the whole plan worked out in my head! It'll all work out!"

Well, I didn't even need to have watched Konosuba to deduce that someone like Kazuma was saying that everything would work out, in fact most things in the end would be worse than if they hadn't done anything.

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