Bakuen Chapter 12

**An Explosion For These Guardians!** (この信心深い教団に爆焔を！, *Kono Gādianzu ni Bakuen wo!*) is the twelfth chapter of the *KonoSuba Bakuen* manga series, and covers Chapters 4 to 5 in Volume 2 of the light novels.

## Summary

Wondering about the culprit who poured Gelatinous Slime into the hot springs's circulation system as they make their way back to the main cathedral, the group runs into Arnes, who is ready to kill Megumin now that the Archwizards of the Crimson Magic Clan aren't here. Zesta though gets quite excited at her scandalous attire and asks Megumin about her, at which Megumin explains that she is an enemy who is there for Chomusuke. Arnes then states she doesn't wanted to hurt him, yet Zesta interrupts her, saying how he actually does wish for her to hurt him.

The irritated Arnes proceeds to shoot a Fireball, the backwash from which blows the hood hiding her demon horns off. Upon realising her to be a Demon that the Axis Church is prohibited from appreciating, Zesta casually Reflects her Fireball. After Cecily reveals to the shocked Arnes how he is of a high ranking holy class capable of exorcising Demons, more followers of the Axis Church appear on scene. Zesta proceeds to blame the baffled Arnes for the Slime in the hot springs, before casting a powerful Sacred Highness Exorcism and ordering everyone to hunt her down, so the two Crimson Magic girls can only watch as Arnes is forced to fly away.

Afterwards, Yunyun states how she is headed towards Axel, since she plans on starting training against weak monsters. But when Megumin tells Yunyun to go without her since it will take her a while to gather money for the trip, Yunyun changes to saying she isn't in a hurry and will do some sightseeing before heading to Axel. Zesta at this moment returns, expressing that the Demon managed to escape them. He subsequently gives Megumin the money to cover the trip to Axel, as gratitude for teaching him all the recruitment methods. The excited Megumin immediately declares her intent to head for Axel right away, before teasing Yunyun who has to change her mind into heading there now too and start training before Megumin. Zesta then suggests that Megumin stay for the night, which annoys Yunyun so much she zaps him with Lightning.

That night, Megumin enjoys the hot spring behind the main Axis cathedral with Cecily, who suggests her to select Priests of the Axis Church for her party at Axel. When Megumin complains about Cecily being too close to her, Cecily states it's because the bath is too small. She proceeds to explain how making the bath is expensive, as they had to hire a wizard who used Blast Magic to create the small holes for each hot spring. At this, Megumin offers to give them bigger baths as gratitude for the trip fee, and upon Cecily's confirmation, she excitedly releases her pent-up Explosion to create a huge hole further up the mountains, into which new hot springs water gush.

The next day at the caravan stop, a Zesta surprised that Megumin can use Explosion Magic thanks her for creating the new sacred spring big enough for all the followers to bathe in, which he invites Megumin to try out the next time she visits Arcanletia for a vacation. He then casts a Blessing on her, though he refuses to do so on Yunyun because of the trouble to him caused by her arrival. Cecily subsequently gives a gift to Megumin, but upon discovering that it's all Axis conversion forms, the Archwizard throws them away.

When it's time for the caravan towards Axel to set off, Megumin and Yunyun followed by Chomusuke bid farewell to Cecily and Zesta. The caravan then proceeds along the highway through the wilderness, with Megumin and Yunyun bickering over who gets to sit beside the window.

During breaktime when the caravan pauses its trek to let passengers stretch their legs, Megumin tells Yunyun how they will reach Axel by lunch tomorrow if things continue smoothly, and upon being chastised for making flag statements, tries to assure her self-proclaimed rival that the chances of being attacked by monsters are quite small especially with them being in such big group. Asked by the mother of a little girl travelling with them about the two being of the Crimson Magic Clan, Megumin proceeds to boast of how she is an Archwizard and a prodigy, only to hear the adventurers guarding the caravan alerting of a monster attack.

It so happened that after Megumin left, Cecily returned to the kitchen hoping to make Gelatinous Slime, but found the whole sack of powder gone. Blaming it too on Arnes, Cecily sank into depression as she regretted not following Megumin to Axel. At this moment, Zesta yelled about getting a divine message.

## Characters

* Megumin
* Zesta
* Cecily
* Yunyun
* Chomusuke
* Arnes
* Bukkororii (flashback)