Chapter 6: The Avenger Reven Goes to a Restaurant

~◇Excior Empire – Alex’s Mansion◆~

The Excior Empire was the largest nation in this world, and it was the base of operations for the hero’s party ‘Bravely Ignite,’ who had conquered the “Legend.”

This country was currently under the de facto control of the hero’s party led by Alex, and the current ruler, Emperor Excior, was essentially a figurehead.

Among the citizens, there were rumors that Alex would seize the emperor’s throne in the near future.

However, the hero’s party’s achievements hadn’t been growing as expected over the past year, so things were currently at a standstill.

The headquarters of the hero’s party, Brave Castle, was built directly in front of Excior Castle and served as a symbol of his authority.

That said, since these were peaceful times, the gatekeepers looked rather bored.

“Fwaaaah…”

Just as one of the gatekeepers yawned, something unusual happened.

Elmia had returned to the castle.

Nothing strange about that in itself.

At most, she might be reprimanded for yawning.

But she had returned riding a weird gorilla-like monster.

“Whoooooooa!? What the hell is that monster!?”

The soldier screamed in shock and hastily performed his duty.

“H-Halt! You there, monster! Elmia-sama!? What the heck is that creature!?”

Elmia looked at the gatekeeper with contempt and struck him with her whip.

Crack!

“Gyaaaah! What are you doing all of a sudden!?”

“Gatekeeper, are your eyes broken? To think you don’t understand the cuteness of this monster.”

“Huh!? That’s clearly a monster no matter how you look at it!!”

The gorilla-like monster looked at the gatekeeper and approached him.

Then it grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground.

“Goberaaah!”

“No, Jean-Connell-General-Shakashaka-Potato-Consomme-Aji-Teika-Donal-Pokopoko-Constantinople-Remake-Gorilla Goria 36. If you do that, Alex-sama will get angry.”

Elmia sharply scolded the rampaging gorilla-like monster.

“That name is so long!! No, no, if Alex-sama sees this, he’ll cut it down immediately! I mean, it’s clearly a monster! With such an indescribable face too! If he sees a monster like this, he’ll drive it out immediately!!”

But his words didn’t reach her.

“Hmph, no matter what you say, I’ve decided to keep this child. I’ll convince Alex-sama.”

Saying that, she put the gorilla-like monster in the stable and entered the castle.

“Is that woman sane… hm?”

When he glanced toward the stable, the gorilla-like monster was being bullied by the horses.

“Neigh! (Hey, newbie! Don’t get cocky!)”

“Snort! (Go buy some carrots with your own money!)”

“Uhooooon! (Help me, gatekeeper!)”

The gorilla-like monster looked at the gatekeeper with tearful eyes, as if pleading for help.

Gross.

“That weird monster is being bullied by horses!! So weeeeak!!”

~◆Throne Room◇~

“…That concludes my report.”

Hero Alex listened to Elmia’s report in the throne room.

“I see… so Reven wants revenge on us…”

“Yes, he certainly said so.”

“You’ve done well. You may leave.”

“Understood. Ah, and I received an adorable monster from Reven. I request permission to keep it.”

“Denied.”

Alex answered immediately.

“No, Alex-sama. I truly wish to keep this creature. Please, I beg you.”

At those words, Alex said with a sigh:

“From Reven, you say… that weird monster?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“That monster does inexplicable things spontaneously. Back when Reven was in the party, I saw those things kill people. Not only is its appearance unpleasant, but it’s also highly dangerous. Please spare me.”

“I see. However, since I will be keeping it personally, this matter is outside the party’s jurisdiction. Thank you for indulging my private affairs. Now then.”

With that, she left the throne room.

“What a troublesome girl.”

Alex sighed and rested his cheek against the throne.

“Heh, it’s fine, isn’t it? I welcome it. If it motivates that woman, then it’s all good.”

The one who spoke so casually to Alex was Revelio, the “Dark Paladin,” said to be his equal.

Though not a beastman, he was a large man with a fierce leopard-like face, clad in jet-black armor.

Revelio wielded an unusually shaped spear called a “serpent spear” that twisted like a snake, and in battle he was a force to be reckoned with, drawing enemies in and dominating them.

He warmly welcomed the competent and favored the strong, but had no interest in the incompetent or weak.

For that reason, when Reven was in the party, he had no interest in him.

But now, after hearing this report, he seemed strangely pleased.

“Revelio. Why do you look so happy? Reven is targeting us, you know?”

At those words, Revelio laughed and answered:

“So what? I’ve been bored lately. That useless Reven gained the power of revenge and became competent. Isn’t it great? I’m looking forward to seeing how strong he’s become.”

“Hey, Revelio. He resents us.”

“Gahahaha! Is the great Hero Alex getting scared of Reven, the one he kicked out? Listen… I just want to fight strong guys. Besides, I’m more interested in the kid who was with Reven in the report.”

At those words, Alex looked confused.

“Why?”

“Call it a warrior’s intuition. Right now, they’re in Zagig searching for the saint, aren’t they? Let’s wait here for the report on how strong they are. And watch our former comrade get miserably defeated.”

At those words, Alex felt a chill run down his spine.

To Revelio, even the deaths of his comrades were merely a measuring stick for gauging the opponent’s strength.

“The story about Kozah getting his ass kicked was hilarious. That guy was all talk and useless. I’m looking forward to seeing how miserably our former buddies in Zagig get wrecked. It might be good to prepare their seats in advance, Alex.”

With that, he left the throne.

Alex could only remain silent.

~◆Zagig – Tavern◇~

Meanwhile, as for Reven and the others…

After the battle, they were at a tavern in Zagig to celebrate the achievement of that revenge.

“Drink! Drink!”

Right away, Reven was forcing a gorilla-like monster to drink detergent.

“Uhogobaaah!!”

The gorilla-like monster that had been forced to drink gasoline vomited a large amount of blood.

Splatter!

The blood splattered onto the surrounding customers, and the tavern erupted into chaos.

“That guy’s dangerous! Run!!”

Seeing this, the customers all fled from the tavern at once.

“Good, now we have the place to ourselves.”

“You can’t just say ‘now we have the place to ourselves’!! What are you doing, turning the tavern into a splatter house!!”

Just as Roaks delivered his retort to Reven’s actions, a mysterious mask appeared.

“Oho, a man who harbors the power of revenge…”

Along with that voice, a mysterious hockey mask appeared before them.

“Whoa! A weird mask appeared!!”

“Y-You’re Hell○sk!”

“You know about it!?”

As if responding to that voice, Hell○sk attached itself to Reven’s face.

“Very well, then I shall grant you power.”

“Wow, thanks! Hell○sk!!”

Delighted at gaining new power, Reven headed to a graveyard.

Then the mask’s power inhabited a giant zombie-like creature with a decayed face and arms that had been sleeping underground.

“Something came out!!”

As Roaks delivered his retort, Hell○sk laughed loudly and said to Reven:

“Hahaha! Thanks to you, I’ve regained my original power!!”

“What!?”

“Now, die!!”

Hell○sk attacked Reven with its arm, but with strangely refined movements, it ate several punches and died instantly.

“What unnecessarily refined movements!!”

“I-Impossible… I, of all people…”

Those movements, as if using some tool, couldn’t handle Hell○sk.

“You’re outdated!! Die! Bahoka Two-Sword Style Secret Technique: ‘Kill Count 1’!”

When the giant’s nape was slashed, it died.

“Phew, this is why you can’t trust hockey masks and mascots.”

“You guys… you made a mess of the tavern, so at least clean it up… I can’t match with anyone new like this.”

“Y-You’re…”

The one who appeared was a man dressed in what seemed to be a defunct luxury brand, radiating pretentiousness.

Yes, he was Kaiste, one of the hero’s party members.

“Hm? Ah, you’re a face I’ve seen somewhere. But a first-rate person like me doesn’t know a third-rate nobody like you with no connections or dreams.”

When he said that, Reven immediately grabbed a bottle and shoved it into Kaiste’s mouth.

“Drink!!”

“Gugogogogogogo! L-Let go!!”

When Kaiste shook Reven off, he coughed painfully.

“Wh-What is this… it tastes terrible! And my tongue is numb!”

At those words, Reven grinned and showed him the label of the bottle he’d made him drink.

It read “Industrial Highball.”

“Wh… what is that?”

“Tastes good, right? I thought a regular highball wouldn’t satisfy someone as pretentious as you, so I put in some ‘grandma.'”

“Grandma?”

He pulled out a bag filled with white powder.

“I-Is that drugs…”

“It’s magic seasoning. About a whole bag’s worth~”

“Wh-Magic seasoning!! Stop messing around!!”

Magic seasoning was seasoning created through magic.

For someone like him who cared about the health of only his food, it was a detested seasoning that made him flee like a rabbit.

“Hmph, to a ninth-rate scum beneath even third-rate like you, I’ll teach you the true meaning of health along with this ‘grandma.’ Now, time to kill you~”

With that, Reven drew his sword.

Now, it was time for revenge.