Arifureta - Chapter 48

"What I Want" (欲しいもの) is the 48th chapter of the Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Manga adaptation. It was released on "Overlap:Comic Gardo" Online Publication on January 8, 2021 on "Point Payment" system, with Free Preview released on February 5, 2021.

Summary
Hajime tells Kaori that he can't return her feelings because he is already in love with someone else. Though initially saddened, she deduces the other woman is Yue, but before Hajime can tell her that he can't take her with him, Kaori says that that doesn't mean she can't join him, especially since she can see that Shea and Tio love him too, with Shea in particular being rather serious, something Hajime can't seem to deny. She reasons that if he has girls who love him travelling with him even though he has Yue, her joining won't change much of anything, especially since she considers her love for him stronger than Yue's. Sensing the challenge, Yue invites Kaori along, if only to prove her wrong, beginning their rivalry.

Kouki is left very confused by Kaori's confession, as the latter approaches him to apologize for wanting to follow her own selfish desires and leave their party to be with him. Kouki still doesn't understand since they have been friends since they were kids, which convinced Kouki that they would be together. Kaori tells him that the two have nothing to do with each other, and even Shizuku supports Kaori's decision, telling Kouki to leave her be because she's free to choose what she wants.

Kouki refuses to listen and, wrapped with jealousy, tells Kaori that she can't go, claiming it's for her own sake. He tries to justify his reasoning by pointing out Shea's slave collar and the fact that Tio calls Hajime "master," on top of how merciless he is, claiming that any women with him would be unhappy. His deluded beliefs fueling him, he offers Yue, Shea, and Tio to join him instead, believing they would be much happier with him instead. His actions only disturb the three for how wrong he's reading the situation, and they reject him. Still under his delusions, Kouki challenges Hajime to a duel demanding he "release" the girls if he wins. He immediately charges for him with his bare hands, but an annoyed Hajime simply creates a hole under Kouki who falls into it (throwing something in in as well). He tells Shizuku to dig him out later.

Daisuke then speaks up and tells Kaori not to go, claiming it will be because their party will be in trouble if she leaves. Still, she stands by her choice, which causes Daisuke to ask Hajime to stay instead if only for her to remain. He tries to apologize and offer to be his friend, but Hajime doesn't buy his "remorse" and sneakily asks if his fire magic has improved. Daisuke nervously says his affinity is wind magic, so Hajime tells him that he probably enjoys shooting people with fireballs without a second thought, revealing that he knows he was the one who knocked him into the abyss. Still, Hajime tells Daisuke that he won't be joining them because he has his own path to follow, and he ultimately relents.

As Kaori gathers her belongings, Shizuku has a word with Hajime after digging out Kouki (who was subjected to tear gas in the pit). She apologizes for the trouble he went through seeing Kaori again, but Hajime sees no reason for her to do so. They start talking about how much both seemed to have changed as Yue, Shea, Tio, and Myu watch from afar, with Yue starting to grow jealous. Shizuku asks Hajime to take care of Kaori, and when he doesn't immediately respond with a confirmation, Shizuku starts name-dropping several of Hajime's personal favorite anime and manga that she deduces influenced his current attire, threatening to spread his new nickname among the students. Her actions actually take effect on Hajime as he asks how she found out his one true weakness, and she tells him that Kaori read up on as much as she could so she could talk to him, with her tagging along as well. Giving in, Hajime tells Shizuku that he promises to not be hard on her, with Shizuku threatening to even release a book on him if he breaks it, causing him to dub her "the lass boss."

Once Kaori is ready, Shizuku says goodbye to her as Hajime bestows upon her the Black Blade, which he made using the strongest ore in the world as a replacement for her already destroyed sword. She accepts it and Hajime's party departs.

At night, Daisuke takes his rage out on a tree for failing to kill Hajime. A mysterious person approaches him as he tells said person he has no reason to work with them now that Kaori is with Hajime. The person tells him that they can always get her back, and once they return to the Capital, they will put their grand scheme into effect. Daisuke signs on under his twisted belief that Kaori belongs to only him, and the mysterious person declares that the true battle begins now.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Hajime Nagumo
 * Kaori Shirasaki
 * Shea Haulia
 * Myu
 * Tio Klarus
 * Kouki Amanogawa
 * Yue
 * Shizuku Yaegashi
 * Ryutarou Sakagami
 * Daisuke Hiyama
 * Suzu Taniguchi
 * Eri Nakamura

Locations

 * Horaud