Warning: The following story will contain a lot of murder, blood, typical murder stuff, except I'm not that good of a writer and have no idea what I'm doing so it probably won't be very gory.
Marks48, BigSmokeYeet, & OechsnerC.
I'm glad that you enjoy it! I hope you keep reading!
RedBurningDragon
From what I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Fabuary is very protective of their technology. Especially since you don't see any cars or guns or any of their technology in other countries.
s. gnarus
You and me both. I just feel like this isn't the assassination stage yet. I would love to have assassinations left and right, but the opportunity hasn't come up yet. I do plan on having Naofumi infiltrate noble estates like Idol Rabier and assassinate a bunch of guards and stuff. Like since Raphtalia shared her past I plan to do that a lot sooner.
Guest
Thanks! I'll have to double-check since the wiki said portal shield so you're probably right.
Guest
That's my mistake and I'll fix it. I used the wiki instead of the LN so I have to change it.
Guest
I've said this before, but I don't know if it should be Naofumi/Eclair or not. I feel like it has the potential to be, but I'm not good at romance. I have no experience in romance and writing romance so I'm still thinking about it. I might decide by the wave or shortly after depending on where the story goes.
Guest
Eagle vision is better as a passive ability I feel, rather than being activated. It was mainly there to help the player, but for Naofumi, I'm giving him the passive ability to identify his target and any of the allies such as guards.
Guest
Yes, the plan was that the Two-Headed Dog would upgrade so the hound shield will have two heads instead of one, and the three-headed one in Lurolona Village will be another upgrade.
Crimson green flame
Thank you! He most likely will, when he sees the success of Raphtalia in growing and tempering into a warrior or assassin, he will most likely buy more.
This is my very first fic and the idea just floated around my head for a while so I figured that I might as well do something about it. I've only watched the anime and read the manga so it may or may not be canon. I am also using the LN for any specifics. Enjoy!
Sorry for the holdup, the last week was busy for me so writing this hasn't been at the forefront of my mind recently. I'm writing again so hopefully, I can get these chapters out faster.
Edit 11/4/21
Thank you guest for pointing this out to me. I completely forgot about the alert part of the two-headed dog shield or whatever.
Chapter 7: New Determination
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Transition…
[Skills / Abilities / System]
Morning...
Naofumi woke up as the sun began to peek above the horizon. It was a habit rather than the light itself as the room faced away from the rising sun. He woke up Eclair before beginning his daily routine, allowing Raphtalia to rest. They were going to check out the mines later and perhaps train Raphtalia along the way. They needed to get her to conquer her fears if she were to fight. He glanced over to Raphtalia. She had grown a bit, from a 6-year-old girl to an 8-year-old, showcasing the demi-human trait of a hastened maturing rate. It was a bit surreal to see in person but there wasn't much he could do about it. It was just a thing that happened in this world he supposed.
Naofumi went down to get breakfast for his party while Eclair did maintenance on their weapons and tools. He bought seven meals and brought them up to the room after putting three meals in his inventory. He entered to the sight of Raphtalia and Eclair doing a morning warmup. It seemed that Raphtalia was able to keep up better than before, which gave Naofumi high hopes for the future. The two girls both looked up at Naofumi as he entered with food. Eclair gave a soft smile as she watched as Raphtalia jumped up and run towards Naofumi.
"Hey~, I'm hungry."
"Yeah, yeah. You won't get any food if I spill them you know."
*Gasp*
Raphtalia raced over to the table, bouncing in her seat as she awaited her food. Naofumi placed down the plates and walked over to Eclair.
"How are you doing?"
"Good, good. I'm happy that you woke me up this time."
"Yeah, yeah. You kept reminding me so I was bound to remember eventually."
They made their way over to the table as they bantered, only to be met with the sight of three empty plates and a bashful raccoon girl. The pair gaped at the little girl, unable to process that a small girl managed to devour enough food for three people.
"Are you still hungry Raphtalia?"
"...Nooo..."
Naofumi gave her a disbelieving stare.
"...Maybe a little bit."
*Sigh* "I was planning to use this for the cave trip but I guess I need to use it now."
Naofumi took out the meals he had stowed away into his inventory and gave one to each person. That's all we have, for now. I'll have to go down and get a few more for today.
"Ehehe."
"I'll make sure to get more from now one okay."
"Okay~!."
Naofumi gave a fond smile as he finished his meal.
"Alright, I'm going to get some food, I want you two to gather up your weapons and armor and meet me downstairs."
"Alright."
"K~!"
Downstairs...
Naofumi went downstairs to get some food at the counter when he felt someone stare at him for a second too long. He glanced around the room from the corner of his eye but couldn't see anyone suspicious or any shadows. He knew better than to let his guard down, so once he had obtained his food, he left the inn. Once he exited the building, he quickly changed to his [Assassin's Brotherhood Outfit] and leaned against the wall next to the door.
He hadn't needed to wait long as he saw someone walk out the door and look around, which was highly suspicious. Naofumi waited until they started walking before he began to follow them. He began following them from a short distance, blending into the nearby crowds. The suspect seemed to be walking around aimlessly, looking for Naofumi instead of reporting to someone.
Once they were a good distance away from the main square and headed towards the gates, Naofumi slammed a shield against the back of the person's head. They stumbled forwards, dazed from the surprise attack. Naofumi hastily put the person in a chokehold and brought them into a secluded spot.
"Who do you work for."
"Gahk! Y-You don't need to know."
"It seems that you were following the Shield Hero, so I won't hesitate to kill you. So I'll ask again, who do you work for!"
"I'll die before I'll tell you. The Shield Hero deserves nothing!"
"So the Three Heroes Church huh. You know, you guys aren't very good at being secretive."
"Why are you so against the Shield Hero? You're the second shadow who has come after him, and it hasn't been a week."
"..."
Naofumi was met with silence other than the sound of the shadow struggling to breathe. Naofumi fished a vial of poison from his inventory and began to pour it into the shadow's mouth. The shadow was able to spit it out despite needing to breathe, so Naofumi tightened his hold around the shadow's neck. He began to pour the vial again, but this time he was more successful as he heard choking and more gasping. Naofumi unsheathed a blade and stabbed it into the shadow's temple. It didn't do much damage but Naofumi kept stabbing, ensuring that the shadow was dead.
+2030 EXP
You are now level 10
You are now level 11
Once he got the notification that he had earned EXP, Naofumi wiped the blood off of his blade, switched his clothes, and left the alley, making his way back to the inn. Eclair seemed to be worried about his tardiness but seemed to let it go.
'She must have seen the EXP notification as well.'
"Alright, everyone ready to go?" asked Naofumi.
"Yes, we're ready."
With that, they departed from the village, making their way to the mine. It was abandoned, with tools strewn about and a layer of dust on everything. Naofumi began to gather everything he could find. After 10 or so minutes he had a pile of pickaxes, rope, tarp, torches, and maps of the mine. He absorbed them all surprisingly and stored the rest.
[Pickaxe Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
Mining 1
[Rope Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
[Ability: Rope]
{Current Length: 5 yards}
Will summon a length of rope from the shield and will wrap around the targeted area or target. The length is determined by the amount of absorbed rope. The weight that can be pulled is based on the user's strength.
[Ability: Air Strike Shield]
Summons a magic shield that can block attacks for 15 seconds or until broken. Can be summoned anywhere in view and any orientation.
[Tarp Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
[Ability: Waterproof]
Can keep water from soaking into anything on the user's person. Reduces the effectiveness of water magic against the user.
[Torch Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
[Ability: Ignite]
Anything flammable will be ignited when in contact with the shield.
[Ability: Light]
The shield will emit a light similar to a torch.
Naofumi skimmed through each shield before testing each of them. They were all somewhat useful in their own rights, with some being useful in battle in unorthodox ways. Naofumi closed the weapon book, satisfied with his gains. He began to test each shield.
The [Pickaxe Shield] didn't show anything at first, though showed a mark on the stone wall. Naofumi struck the mark, revealing an ore which was then highlighted. There were more marks, which Naofumi struck. After hitting all of the marks, Naofumi gained the ore from the rock. It seemed to be normal iron ore. He absorbed the ore, gaining him yet another shield.
[Iron Ore Shield - 0%]
Naofumi sweatdropped at the new shield but decided to look at it later, as it hadn't unlocked any new shields. All the while, Eclair was off to the side with Raphtalia, teaching her the way of the sword.
Naofumi then tested the [Rope Shield]. At first, he tested [Rope], which wrapped around the pickaxe he left on the ground. He was able to retract and extend the rope. He even pulled himself up. He then tried out [Air Strike Shield]. He summoned it in front of him to inspect it. It was a translucent green color with a design on it. It didn't seem to move after summoning. After it ran out, he tried to summon it at an angle. It worked, and its smoothness made it effective as a ramp. It seemed that he could summon it one at a time, as whenever he summoned a new one, the old one would disappear.
Next was the [Tarp Shield], although it was simple. He poured some water onto his sleeve, and it slipped right off.
Lastly was the [Torch Shield]. [Ignite] was simple enough, as long as it can burn, then it would catch fire. Luckily he could activate this himself, as burning the bed all the time would be a handful. [Light] was self-explanatory. It emitted light similarly to a torch.
With everything stored away, he switched to the [Cartographer Shield]. Naofumi opened the map into the mines and lit a torch. After giving the all-clear, the party ventured into the mine.
It was fairly quiet for a monster-infested mine. Naofumi could make out dried blood and dog footprints. Each paw was about the size of the wolves from yesterday. Raphtalia seemed to be shaking, but it seemed that it was better than last time. As they advanced further into the mine, the sound of running water could be heard, although there were no monsters to be seen. Eventually, they reached a large open cave area with a waterfall and river. On the map, they had noted that there were many ores at the top, near the source of the waterfall. They made it to the top but were met with the sight of a two-headed dog.
Raphtalia was about to scream but Naofumi clamped his hand around her mouth and dove out of sight. Eclair was already at the back of the group so stayed out of sight. The beast looked around but returned to its business when it saw nothing. Raphtalia seemed to be panicking but began to calm down. Tears began to form in her eyes. Eclair began to calm her down but Naofumi stopped her.
"Stay back and engage when we are in grave danger," whispered Naofumi.
"Huh?"
"Raphtalia."
The little girl looked up at Naofumi, eyes watery.
"I need you to listen to me very carefully. You are one of the last of your village, but you need to avenge them. This is the first step. If you want to avenge your village, you must grow stronger. You can help other kids from the waves, but you need to get stronger, and this is the only way."
Eclair was about to step in, ready to admonish Naofumi, but stopped when she saw that Raphtalia was more determined than sad. It hurt her heart that a child had become this hardened but all she could do was help heal.
"Are you ready?"
"Ye-!"
"Quieter."
"Yes."
They left their hiding spot, sneaking as close as they could. The dog noticed them, whether it was by smell or sound they didn't know. But the beast rose to its full height. It was a lot bigger than the prints at the entrance portrayed. It was about 12 feet tall and had two heads that were about 2 feet in diameter. Raphtalia seemed scared at first but took a determined step forward after collecting herself.
"Let's go!"
The two of them rushed forward with their weapons raised. The two-headed dog let out a loud roar before charging in.
"I'll grab its attention, try to stab it as much as you can! Remember Eclair's teaching."
"Hai!"
Naofumi began to sprint forward, meeting the dog in the middle. It swiped at him, claws bared, but Naofumi skillfully parried it and stabbed into its foot. The sound of an ineffectual attack and accompanied sparks irritated Naofumi, but he didn't stew on it for long. He equipped the rope shield and tied it around one head. He harshly pulled it down, making the dog whine as it was thrown off-balance. Raphtalia took advantage of the opportunity by dashing in and leaving cuts and gashes along the body of the two-headed beast.
The beast began to get back up using its superior strength to stand on its legs again. Naofumi released the rope, lest he is dragged into the range of the dog. He saw one head of the dog look at Raphtalia but turned back around when Naofumi rushed in again. He used [Air Strike Shield] as the dog heads came down to bite him. They crashed against the magical construct, whining again as their snouts slammed against the shield. It stumbled back in pain, allowing Raphtalia to dash in once again to slash at the legs of the beast, greatly reducing its movement.
She had only hit the front legs, but it helped nonetheless, as the beast swiped at Naofumi again, making him stumble. It was more from the weight of the beast than the force of the hit itself. It continued like this, block, stun, slash, back off, repeat.
By then, the two-headed dog had gashes all along its body, legs, and faces, but the knife was only leaving flesh wounds.
"Once I bring it down, stab its head!"
"Hai!"
The beast weakly charged again, blood gushing out with every step.
"Air Strike Shield!"
The magical construct appeared in front of the beast, slamming its nose against it. It was weak, but the nose was already quite wounded. The dog staggered back, howling in pain.
"Rope!"
The length of rope tied around the neck of one of the heads. Naofumi pulled as hard as he could, throwing the beast off-balance, sending it to the ground. Raphtalia dashed in, stabbing one of the heads through the eyes into the skull, killing it. The dog howled out again, feeling the connection cut from its other head. As it was trying to get up again, Naofumi summoned another [Air Strike Shield], leaving the dog stuck between the shield and ground. Raphtalia took the opportunity and rushed in and stabbed the dog again and again.
+430 EXP
'That's not a lot of EXP at all. I guess it might've been hard for Raphtalia but I guess we need a new weapon for her.'
Naofumi looked over to Raphtalia who was still stabbing the corpse. Eclair seemed to be approaching the young girl, wary of the knife in her hands.
*Sigh* "RAPHTALIA!"
The girl swung her head around to look at her master. Having come to her senses she looked around. She saw the bloodstained clothes, the bloodied knife, the 28 stab wounds on the corpse below her. She turned back to the two adults making their way to her.
"Am... Am I a bad person? F-For wanting it dead?"
"Oh, dear..."
Eclair jogged up to Raphtalia hugging her tight. Raphtalia's eyes teared up in the embrace.
"No. You're not a bad person. You've only taken the first step. Sometimes you have to work in the shadows to protect the light."
Raphtalia began to sob, though there was a small smile on her face.
"Come on. Let's get washed up."
The party made their way to the waterfall source, washing the blood off their clothes and weapons. Naofumi dissected the corpse before going to get washed up. He began to dissect the corpse of the Two-Headed Dog, gaining a few more shields.
[Hound Shield II - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
[Ability: Dog Bite]
When an attack is blocked, summon 2 dog heads from the shield to bite the attacker. Damage is based on the user's ATK.
[Passive: Alert]
Alerts the user when an enemy is in a radius of 20 yards from the user.
[Two-Headed Black Dog Fang Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
+10 ATK
[Two-Headed Black Dog Hide Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
Agility 2
[Two-Headed Black Dog Meat Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
Dissection 2
[Two-Headed Black Dog Bone Shield - 0%]
-Equip Bonus-
Stamina up (small)
Naofumi looked at his weapon book, looking at all 34 of his shields that he had unlocked in the first week of his stay. He decided to take a bath in the water, hoping that it would clear his mind.
'I wonder how the other heroes are doing. They might have more levels than I do but I'm not doing too bad.'
"Is something wrong Naofumi?"
"Nothing too important. I just have way too many shields despite only being here for a week."
"Hm. Well, I'm not exactly sure how that feels but that's not a bad thing, right? I mean the more shields you have, the stronger you are."
"Yeah, but it's kind of overwhelming. I also have the weight of the world on my shoulders."
"Well, you have us you know. We're your party, your team."
"Yeah, that's true."
They looked over to the little girl playing in the water, laughing as she splashed around. As much as he didn't want to have the world at stake, he was able to enjoy the small moments.
Once Naofumi felt relaxed enough, he went back to what he was originally going to do, which was mining. He equipped the [Pickaxe Shield] and took out a pickaxe from his inventory. As he approached a rock face, the surface began to light up in different spots. Naofumi then started mining. He was in a meditative state, mining, hitting the marks, storing the ore, moving on. He was only brought out of it when Raphtalia pulled on his shirt.
"I'm hungry."
"Ah. It has been a while, hasn't it. Thank you for reminding Raphtalia."
"You're welcome!"
Naofumi went back to the bank of the water and took out the food from his inventory and gave them to Raphtalia. He then ignited some wood and began cooking the Two-Headed Dog meat. It was a shame they couldn't sell it, but the ores most likely made up for it. Raphtalia was eating even more now, most likely hungry from the battle.
Naofumi continued mining afterward, mastering the [Pickaxe Shield] and switching to the [Rope Shield]. He took this chance to grind the shields he had, constantly using the abilities and mastering them.
It looked strange to Eclair, seeing Naofumi find an ore, store it, and move onto the next, all while skills were being activated all around him.
Eventually, Naofumi mastered all of his shields with active abilities. He looked for Eclair and Raphtalia and saw them taking a nap. He felt a bit sheepish, doing all of this without talking to them. He gently woke them up, and they departed. When they exited the mine, the sun was beginning to set. They continued back to town, slaying the monsters attracted to the light of the [Torch Shield]. Once they arrived back at their room, they were tired and 1 level higher. They planned on returning to the capital, getting new weapons and armor, and perhaps getting some grimoires if they could comfortably afford them.
Naofumi flopped on the bed. They had so much to do, and it felt like no time at all. He decided not to dwell on it. He was a healthy 25-year-old man. It was no time to get wrinkles. With a sigh, he went to sleep. He wasn't physically tired but it was mentally tired instead.
'I should probably take down the church. Ugh. We probably need more people. We still have 2 weeks till the wave. Hopefully, we will be prepared enough.'
The [Tarp Shield] I thought of because I think of how tarp covers a minecart to keep stuff out of the cart. You know what I mean? Anyway, waterproof means that anything on him is waterproof. Clothes? won't get wet. Torch? Won't be extinguished. He can deactivate this and will reduce the effectiveness of water magic, however, he can still get hurt. A jet of water has enough force to push him and stuff.
I feel like saying "Hai!" is better than saying "Yes!". Is that just me? Hopefully you guys are okay with it.