Chapter 23: Reven the Avenger Reunites with His Nemesis

One day had passed since Reven buried the goblins in the field.

The goblin field had become the hideout of Bow, one of the top executives of the hero party.

“Why is this happeningggggg!!”

Roaks screamed involuntarily at the sight.

“Uh, um, what’s going on?”

“So this is Bow’s hideout… making me go through all this trouble…!”

“Um…”

Even Flam looked troubled.

That’s because the place that had just been filled with masses of buried goblins and corpses had suddenly become a magnificent building.

It was beyond mysterious.

“The guy I want revenge on most in this city of Zagig is here. Alex… once I eliminate him, you won’t get off easy either.”

“Wait, hold on. You’re not gonna explain this situation!?”

“Shut uuuuuuup!!”

Reven punched Roaks as usual.

“Why!!”

“You’re throwing cold water on me when I’m trying to talk seriously!!”

“Isn’t that unreasonable!?”

Just as Roaks protested against Reven’s attack—

“Heh heh heh, same as always, Reven.”

Someone’s voice echoed from the mansion.

“That voice… Bow!!”

As Reven said this, a man named Bow appeared through magical projection.

However, his full appearance couldn’t be seen because he wore a deeply hooded cloak.

“I’m happy to see you, Reven. To meet you again like this, my fellow recruit.”

“Oh? I heard you were the one who instructed Kozah, Kaiste, and Bichi to banish me?”

When Reven said this sarcastically, Bow laughed and said:

“What are you talking about? That was something those incompetent trash did on their own. As a fellow two-sword style practitioner, I want you to come back to the party. You already received the present, right?”

Lumie gasped at those words.

“Don’t tell me… you were the one who hired the assassin for that person named Elmia…”

“Smart girl! That’s right! This Bow gave that incompetent hag her comeuppance!! Be grateful, my friend.”

To Bow’s condescending manner, Reven replied:

“Sorry. I’ve hated you more than Kozah since my days in that party. Unless you pay for that grudge with your life, my desire for revenge won’t be satisfied. And Alex too, of course.”

“Hoh, what did I do to you?… No, wait! You mean that time!!”

“!! So you did remember, you bastard!”

“Ah, that was when you and I joined Alex’s party together…”

～◆Three Years Ago◇～

This was before the hero party conquered the legendary dungeon “Legend.”

Reven, who aspired to be an adventurer, was trying to join Alex’s party, who was an unknown adventurer at the time.

“Excuse me, I heard you’re hiring inexperienced applicants of any age, so I came to apply.”

Reven was trying to join Alex’s party to become an adventurer.

At the time, Alex’s party had only four members plus a few more, and key members like Revelio hadn’t joined yet.

When Alex saw Reven, he answered with a disgusted look:

“Nah, that’s impossible.”

Hearing those words, Reven was irritated.

“Look, it says right here ‘inexperienced applicants of any age welcome.'”

Alex sighed at those words and replied:

“I just want a normal person. What’s the point of hiring a freak like you?”

“Want to test me?”

At Alex’s words, Reven quietly began to draw his sword.

That’s when it happened.

“Hoh, to think a two-sword style user would be trying to join the same party. And you look close in age.”

“Who’s there!!”

When Alex said this, the person revealed himself.

“My name is Bow. I’m a practitioner of Waharaba Two-Sword Style.”

Bow said this and showed himself.

“Th-that appearance… you’re…”

Bow was a man who had been expelled from numerous parties and had committed many violent acts, making him a bona fide criminal who’d been thrown into the castle dungeons multiple times.

On the other hand, his abilities were extremely high, and he was a man with legendary feats like defeating a Minotaur.

However, his hobby was bullying the weak, so many adventurers avoided him.

“Waharaba Two-Sword Style…”

“Hoh, that disgusted look… so you’re a practitioner of Baakaho Two-Sword Style?”

“That style was created out of spite by someone expelled from Baakaho Two-Sword Style…!!”

“You’re pretty knowledgeable for someone with no personality—as expected of the main school.”

Bow grinned, then turned to Alex and said:

“Leader. Let me and this cocky sword bastard and my handsome face join you. I’ll help you conquer ‘Legend.'”

It was quite a condescending proposition.

But Bow seemed to flash his swords, as if threatening Alex.

“O-okay. I’ll welcome you both.”

When Bow heard those words, he clapped his hands in delight.

“Well said! By the way, my fellow recruit! What’s your name?”

To Bow’s arrogant manner of speaking, Reven replied in a bad mood:

“Reven… Reven Avengeyan…”

“Heh… I’ll be counting on you from now on.”

But after this, Bow repeatedly subjected Reven to brutal bullying.

He brought the street punk Kozah, the con artist Kaiste, and the disliked noble Bichi into the party, and constantly stole his achievements.

Every day he hurled abuse like “useless” and “incompetent,” and maneuvered the three of them to banish Reven from the party.

To put it simply, he deliberately made Reven do the work of those three.

Naturally, the three who had their work stolen felt anxious about it.

So they told the top brass led by Alex that he was incompetent, stealing his achievements at every opportunity and telling them to banish him.

Bow had joined Alex’s party solely to bully Reven.

～◆Present◇～

“…Heh, nostalgic. I joined under Alex together with you back then, didn’t I?”

As Bow said this with a laugh, Reven made a dubious face and replied:

“No, the only thing that’s correct is that you’re shit. Actually…”

“Huh?”

And then Reven began to talk about what actually happened.

～◇Three Years Ago: Reven-kun (38 Years Old)’s Case◆～

Alex, a bottom-tier adventurer, had come to a pet shop out of exhaustion.

“Bow wow bow wow!!”

There, many unsold muscle-bound men were barking.

“Uwaaaaaaa!! That’s disgustiiiiing!!”

A man who’d entered before Alex rushed out of the store at full speed.

“Whoa!!”

Alex stumbled involuntarily.

“You okay?”

One of the muscular men grabbed Alex’s hand.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Reven Avengeyan. Unemployed.”

“Huh, a muscular unemployed guy, that’s gross.”

“Huh, that’s mean!!”

Reven was hurt by Alex’s words, but someone was watching.

Yes, Bow.

“Hmm? That guy has potential for power harassment…”

Bow stopped the pet shop musclemen from their harassment and walked toward Reven.

“You there. You free?”

“Yeah, well, I suppose… wait, whaaaaaaat!!”

Bow grinned at those words.

“Hoh, surprised by how handsome my face is?”

“N-no! Your appearance!!”

“Heh, no wonder. Among adventurers, I’ve been expelled from every party and I’m a notorious ex-con.”

“That’s not it, that appearaaaaaance!?”

Bow drew his two swords and slashed the musclemen.

From that single strike, masses of smiley faces sprang forth.

“Whoooooa!? What the hell is this?”

“Now we’ll make everyone smile!!”

The smiley faces attacked Bow.

“Baakaho Two-Sword Style: ‘Severing Blade’!!”

But Reven unleashed a secret technique and slashed the smiley faces.

“Heh, you can’t save people with smiles.”

Reven said this and tried to leave.

But he hadn’t finished off all the smiley faces.

“We’ll make you smile toooooo!!”

“Wha…!!”

The moment Reven was caught off guard, Bow drew his sword.

“Waharaba Two-Sword Style Secret Technique: ‘Back-Breaking Spiral’!!”

With that strike, the smiley face was slashed apart.

“Smiiiiile!!”

The smiley face scattered without making anyone smile.

“Wh-who are you guys…?”

As Alex was stunned, Bow said:

“My name is Bow. What about you?”

“My name is Reven.”

And so the three formed a party and became super strong.

After that, it was as Bow had described.

He colluded with Kozah, Kaiste, and Bichi to drive him out of the party.

～◆Present◇～

“That’s the correct version. You just misremembered, right?”

“What do you mean ‘went to a pet shop and it was a muscle festival’!! Don’t tell me you were actually there!?”

As Roaks interjected, Bow said exasperatedly:

“No no, I’m the one who’s right. That’s why you get kicked out of parties.”

“Hoh, dementia at thirty-eight years old?”

At Reven’s provocation, Bow clicked his tongue and replied:

“Whatever. If you’ve got complaints, come to me. That is, if you can make it!!”

After saying just that, Bow vanished.