After defeating Sylvia at the Crimson Demon Village, Kazuma and his party look forward to receiving a reward that could mean freedom from the grind of having to fulfill quests. Kazuma himself, however, seems to be having nightmares and bouts of paranoia.

Kazuma and his friends return to Axel and receive 300 million eris as a reward for subjugating Sylvia, an executive of the Devil King's army. Kazuma and Aqua go to high-end restaurants, and Aqua enjoys her long-awaited life as a celebrity.

Kazuma and the gang fail to defeat the hydra in the lake near Axel. The gang hopes to rely on knights from the capital, but they've been delayed due to a bandit disturbance for which a bounty has been issued. Darkness, however, is obsessed with the hydra.