Rise of the Sword and the Shield chapter 07: Departure
Lyall the Werewolf: This chapter will answer a few questions I'm sure some of you are dying to know. Like, what kind of magic will Asuka use? Well, you're about to find out.
Also, yeah, I was making Itsuki neutral to Asuka in the old story, but that would've changed over time if I had continued. This time around, Itsuki right off the bat is an antagonist to Asuka because he's insecure about his abilities being inferior to hers. I'm doing it like this because it makes more sense for Itsuki to feel envious of someone with better abilities. As stated in the reviews, Itsuki is the worst of the Three Heroes in the canon story for having such a warped view of himself.
As for Motoyasu, I could make him the same as I did before. Who knows? Part of the reason the old story got so weird was that I had a little too much fun making Motoyasu an irredeemable idiot. I could still do that if I really wanted to.
For now, I want to focus on aspects I didn't in the original story.
I would also like to give some insight into Asuka's Strengthening Method I hadn't before. Rather than relying on the weapon itself, Asuka believes the skills are what need improving. That's why she prefers to train and master the skills she obtains. So she can unlock more skills or bonuses. The sword itself, or the rarity of the sword she's copied, doesn't matter.
It's sort of like the Flower of Balance system from Senran Kagura. In SK, you build the affinity meter for what mode you're in during gameplay. The more you use it, the more affinity you fills up. You use Yang Mode's Shinobi Transformation, then you build up an affinity for that. You do the same thing for Yin Mode's Frantic form and Flash Mode's base form.
So, Asuka is building mastery of her skills because she believes it's the same as building the affinity meter for Yang and Yin in the Flower of Balance.
I am thinking of adding something new to her Strengthening Method later in the future.
I would also like to explain why Asuka is at level 12 currently. She hasn't taken on the same number of quests as Motoyasu and Itsuki. At least, not the ones that offer high rewards. She spent more time training with her sword and looking for a stable place to live.
With all that out of the way, let's get to the chapter!
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
"Hmm… It would appear that you have an affinity for Earth and Wind based magic, as well as status recovery magic, Sword Hero-sama." said the magic shop owner as she peered into her crystal ball.
She and Asuka had returned to the former's shop after completing the research project. It wasn't anything urgent. The magic shop owner was studying ancient ruins outside of Castle-Town. She was nearly finished with it, but thanks to the First Wave of Catastrophe, she was forced to put her research on hold due to monsters claiming the area as their territory. That was why the old witch needed a bodyguard to help her clear out the monsters and finish her research.
Asuka was brave enough to accept her job offer, and she even performed better than expected.
The magic shop owner was amazed by the elegant combination of physical strikes with swordplay used by Asuka when she helped the witch clear out the monsters in the ruin. So much so that she decided to give the Sword Hero a free magic appraising for the latter's affinity, in addition to paying a handsome reward for a job well done.
"So those are the types of magic I can use?" Asuka asked. She was surprised to learn that she could use magic in this world.
"Yes. Anyone in this world can use magic. The Cardinal Heroes are especially gifted with magic. At least according to legend." the kindly old witch explained.
"But, I've never used magic before," Asuka replied. She was always one to use physical means of attack instead of magic.
"That's alright. Once you've studied the particulars and worked hard, magic isn't so difficult." the witch reached down to one of her desk's drawers and took out a book. "Here are grimoires for Earth, Wind, and recovery magic. Be sure to study them carefully," she said as she placed it on the counter.
"Huh? Are you sure I can take these?" asked Asuka.
"Consider them a bonus for the hard work you put in helping me with my research." said the witch, "Although, I would have liked to give you a crystal ball."
"A crystal ball?"
"Didn't you know, Lady Hero? If you use a crystal ball, you can learn one of the magic spells sealed within it." the witch explained, motioning to her crystal ball.
"I didn't know that," Asuka said. Even if she did, she would have rejected using crystals balls to learn spells. That was the easy route in her eyes.
"I heard that royal capital had ordered a bunch of them to give to the Heroes."
"All except for Naofumi-kun, no thanks to that trial. And after what I did after the trial, it wouldn't surprise me if I was left out too." Asuka sighed, regretting her rash behavior a little. She took no pride in threatening Aultcray's life, but if there was one thing she could not stand, it was being treated like she was helpless.
"Yes, I heard. I am so sorry you were dragged into that. I can only imagine what struggles you must be going through since then." said the witch with sympathy in her eyes, "If my grimoires can help you, even a little bit, I'd be very happy."
Hearing this brought a small smile to Asuka's face, "Thank you. But, there's a slight problem. I can't read this world's language."
"I know. Evelyn told me much about you. If you need help in studying our language, you should talk to her. She's excellent at teaching." the witch suggested.
"I think I'll do that!" Asuka smiled. She eagerly took the grimoire. Learning magic sounded like it could be fun, anyway. If she had to put in the extra work to learn to read this world's language, it would be worth it.
"One more thing!" the witch said, "The physical attacks you sued on those monsters… I couldn't help but notice that they're very reminiscent of the styles of martial arts used here."
"There are martial arts in this world?" a surprised Asuka asked.
"Indeed! In fact, I think there's a certain style I think you'd be suited for. I believe it's called Hengen Muso." the witch answered.
"Hengen Muso?"
"This style utilizes uses one's life force to strengthen one's body for combat. Sadly, I don't know too much about it. I am aware that the form uses a system entirely different from magic and the SP system for the Heroes. But, very few practice the art in this day and age, where swords and magic have progressed and rein dominant. If I remember correctly, there is a practitioner of the art still alive in Melromarc. I don't know where they live, though."
"I see. I'll try looking them up if I can."
"I'm sure you will. It looked like something you'd be interested in."
The magic shop owner couldn't be any more right. Lifeforce, or spiritual energy in other cases, was an essential component for a Shinobi to fight. If Asuka could learn this martial art somehow, she might grow even stronger. That and hearing about the art reminded her of home somewhat.
"Thank you so much for going out of your way to give me this information." Asuka bowed her head in gratitude to the magic shop owner.
"Oh no, dear! It's no trouble at all. It's the least I could do after you've helped me. Whether or not you want to learn magic or learn this martial art is up to you. Just keep working as hard as you can. You can do it!" the witch cheered.
"I will!" Asuka smiled, brimming with confidence.
With those parting words said, Asuka made her exit from the magic shop. She stored the grimoire in the inventory space in her Small Sword. This was where she kept her money and other items. Things like raw meat couldn't be stored for long. Otherwise, it would rot.
With that done, Asuka was about to head back to the guild, but she picked up the scents of Myne and her friends close by. Using her ninja agility, Asuka ascended to the rooftops again to keep out of sight.
Up above, she spotted them dragging their heels onto Main Street.
"Damn you… Sword Bimbo…" Myne cursed, "I swear… you will pay for this!"
"U-Um… it's getting late, so can't we just go home…?" Green Mage asked, still tired from all the running around today.
"I could go for a nice massage right now…!" Elena complained.
"Forget the massage! I just wanna jump into the Jacuzzi!" Lesty whined.
"Stop whining! The Sword Bimbo is around here somewhere! I can feel it!" Myne frantically looked around for any trace of Asuka.
"Forget about her! Let's just go home!" Lesty bellowed.
"I said stop whining!"
"Wow, it's no wonder they're so out of shape. Living it up in luxury made those girls forget about keeping in shape. Not only that, they're so unfocused and uncoordinated. It almost makes me feel sorry for them… almost." Asuka said to herself as she watched the four women bicker. She wondered if it was a good idea to leave them in that alley. As far as she knew, the other girls probably weren't as bad as Myne.
Then again, they appear to be enjoying living off Motoyasu's current wealth. If that was the case, he wouldn't be of any help fixing the dysfunction in his party. In which case, whatever happened was none of her concern.
It was time to leave, so she did. The Sword Hero didn't want to risk getting spotted again and start the chase all over again.
After taking a route away from Myne's group, Asuka returned to the guild, paid for the guest room, and called it a day.
[-Later That Night: Castle hallway-]
"Malty, where have you been? And why do you look so exhausted?" asked Aultcray as her daughter and party mates finally returned to the castle. He immediately noticed Myne's haggard appearance and became concerned.
"We were running… some errands!" Myne said with a fake smile. It took lots of effort, but her party mates eventually convinced her to retreat to the castle for now.
"Were they so important you ran yourself ragged?" Aultcray asked, "You and your friends should go clean yourselves up and rest. Motoyasu-dono is expecting to get back to work on his adventures first thing tomorrow. You'll be no good to him if you're so tired you can't move."
"Of course, Papa. We'll get right on that."
"Good. I know how stressful these adventures can be for you." Aultcray said with empathy for his daughter.
"They're no problem at all! Not with Motoyasu-sama protecting me." Myne smiled.
"And us, too, Your Majesty!" Lesty added.
"Yes, I'm well aware that he's doing an excellent good of protecting you and your friends." Aultcray nodded with a proud smile. He did his best to forget the… position the Spear Hero was in yesterday.
"Girls!" Motoyasu called out. Myne's group and Aultcray turned to see him jogging up to them. Like Itsuki, he too got a new outfit, donning chainmail underneath his sleeveless white and red tunic and silver armor, such as shoulder pads, arm braces, and graves.
"Myne, where were you and the others this morning? You left without saying a word!"
"Oh, it's nothing to be concerned about! We left on an urgent errand, that's all!" Myne answered.
"But what if something happened?! What if you got mugged by some thief or worse if you ran into Naofumi again?!"
"That reminds me, Malty." Aultcray interjected, "Did you run into the Shield Hero on your little errand?"
"Oh no, I haven't! That lecherous brute has been quiet since the trial. I doubt he'd stir up trouble with his crimes made public." Myne assured.
"Yes, he has been quiet. If he does commit more crimes, I'll see to it personally that he'll receive punishment." Aultcray said with anger in his eyes.
"You can count on me too, Myne. I'll protect you and Asuka-chan from Naofumi!" Motoyasu proclaimed, "Oh, speaking of Asuka-chan, did you see her in town?"
"Uh…" Myne paused for a second. The mention of the Sword Bimbo's name nearly caused a vein to pop. Fortunately, she thought up the perfect way to get even for today's marathon. "Yes, we did! The Sword B- I mean Sword Hero helped us with our errand."
This surprised Elena, Lesty, the Green Mage, and Aultcray. There was no doubt in any of their minds that Myne hated the Sword Hero. And yet, Motoyasu remained oblivious.
"Really? That's great! I knew you two would get along!" Motoyasu cried, "I gotta see her! I've been so worried about what she's been doing. Is she lonely without me? Is she eating healthy? Is she taking care of her body? Ahh, I haven't seen her in so long it's driving me crazy!"
"That's… not terribly difficult to see..." Aultcray grumbled, earning Motoyasu's confusion.
"Not to worry, Motoyasu-sama. I happen to know where she's taken up residence!" Myne giggled.
"What? Is that true, Myne?"
"Yes, Motoyasu-sama. I'm truly haven't figured it out yet."
[-The Next Day-]
Asuka woke up, well-rested after a good night's sleep. After getting dressed, she was about to go see Evelyn about teaching her to read the language of Melromarc.
However, she heard knocking on the guest room door.
"Coming!" Asuka said before she paused.
Using Enhanced Scent Detection, she recognized the scent on the other side of the door. It was Itsuki. Knowing that another confrontation with him would be inevitable, the Sword Hero decided to answer.
She opened the door, and there the Bow Hero was. He stood in front of her with a smug grin on his face. Standing beside him was an equally smug Mald.
"Hello, Asuka-san." Itsuki said.
"Yes, Itsuki-kun?" Asuka asked, not at all happy to see him right now.
"I heard you had some fun with Myne-san the other day. Aren't you a little old to be playing childish pranks like that?" Itsuki asked. His smug grin was still on display.
"Oh, you heard about that?" Asuka shrugged.
"Difficult not to, since most of Castle-Town has been talking about it."
Asuka sighed in annoyance, "Of course, he's here to rub my immaturity in my face…"
"Asuka-san, I don't think you'll become a great hero if play tricks on people and cause chaos like that," Itsuki said, shaking his head while feigning disappointment.
"Let me stop you there. I only did that with Myne-san and her friends because they were up to no good." Asuka said.
"How so?"
"They were lying in wait for me to exit the guild. Myne-san and her friends were likely planning to follow me and ambush me while I worked for my client. I couldn't have them interfere, so I gave them a little lesson in what happens when you're not active physically." Asuka shrugged.
"By leading them all over town? And what do you suppose would have happened to them after you left just them in some alley? If they got in trouble with some thugs, what would have done?" Itsuki asked with a frown.
"I would have gone back and helped them." Asuka answered, "Granted, I hate the idea of helping Myne-san after all the things she did, but I would've helped them if they needed it,"
"How many times do I have to tell you? Naofumi-san is guilty of his crimes." Itsuki scolded.
"I think you missed the part where I said I didn't care about your opinion." Asuka refuted, to Itsuki's increasing annoyance.
"Your rudeness knows no bounds, Sword Fake." Mald spat. At which point, the Sword Hero decided she had enough. "Itsuki-sama is trying to impart his infinite wisdom onto you, and you think you can shove back in his face?"
"I'm sure it'll be much easier to comprehend without you sticking up for Itsuki-kun every time someone disagrees with him." Asuka glared at Mald.
"Why you…!" Mald growled.
"I don't have to listen to this. I have things to do, so don't bother me anymore!" Asuka said as she trotted past Itsuki. She was about to make her way downstairs to the reception desk, so she could speak with Evelyn about teaching her to read Melromarc's language. She was stopped by Itsuki, who grabbed her by the wrist.
"We're not finished here, Asuka-san!"
"Let go of my hand, Itsuki-kun," Asuka said calmly.
"Not until you tell me where you got your cheating ability!" Itsuki demanded.
Asuka had a feeling that was what the Bow Hero was after. There was absolutely no way she was going to tell him who she really was, both because it was Shinobi code to keep such information a secret, and his increasing arrogance was starting to infuriate her.
"I have nothing to say to you! Now let go!" Asuka wrenched her hand from Itsuki's grasp.
"You're not going anywhere, Sword Fake! Not until you answer -Agh!" Mald was about to reach over to grab Asuka's shoulder, but within the blink of an eye, she snatched his armor-plated wrist.
"Don't even think of touching me, you filthy slime!" Asuka growled.
"H-How dare you…" Mald struggled to get free, but Asuka voluntarily let go of his wrist and let him stumble back a bit.
"I don't know where this ego trip of yours is coming from Itsuki-kun, and I don't care. Just leave me alone." Asuka gave Itsuki and Mald a cold stare as she spoke.
Itsuki froze, feeling cowed by Asuka's stare. Mald was similarly frozen while caressing his wrist. Her grip on him was like that of a vice.
Now with her message across, the Sword Hero was finally ready to make her exit.
She made her way down to the guild hall's reception desk to meet with Evelyn.
"Good morning, Evelyn-san." said Asuka.
"Good morning, Sword Hero-sama," Evelyn said. She was about to use Asuka's name, but she refrained, thinking it wasn't appropriate to do so without permission. "Um… we could hear shouting upstairs. Was everything alright?"
"It's nothing… except another disagreement with Itsuki-kun…" Asuka paused as she spotted Itsuki and Mald walking down the steps and joining the rest of their party. The two Heroes briefly exchange glances before going about their business.
"I'm terribly sorry. The Bow Hero asked me which room you were staying in, and he insisted that he speak with you. I initially refused until Lord Mald intervened…" Evelyn groaned. She honestly hated having to deal with Mald's arrogance as much as anyone else.
"Tch… I can't believe they dragged you into this," Asuka muttered.
"Again, I'm truly sorry!" Evelyn said as she bowed her head to the Sword Hero.
"It's okay. Itsuki-kun's the one making a production out of this." Asuka said, "But never mind about that! I have a favor to ask you, Evelyn."
"Eh? What is it?" Evelyn asked. She was a little surprised to hear Asuka come to her for something like a favor.
"You see, after completing my job for the magic shop lady, she gave me these grimoires to study." Asuka took out one of the grimoires from her sword's inventory space.
Unfortunately, as she was doing this, Asuka's Enhanced Scent Detection caught wind of the person she least wanted to see most. And she wasn't fast enough to escape his clutches this time.
"ASUKA-CHAN, GETTO!" Motoyasu declared as he wrapped his arms around a stunned Asuka, who nearly dropped the book she was holding.
The chill she got the other night came back stronger than before.
"M-Motoyasu-kun, why are you here?!" Asuka asked in a panic.
"S-Spear Hero-sama?!" Evelyn sputtered, shocked by the Spear Hero's sudden appearance.
"Asuka-chan, you're so mean! Why didn't you tell me you were staying here? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were intentionally avoiding me all week." Motoyasu said, nuzzling his face against hers.
"That's because I was! Now get your hands off me!" Asuka shouted as she pushed him away.
"Aw, but we just reunited!"
"Isn't it wonderful, Motoyasu-sama?" said the sultry, familiar voice.
Asuka looked past Motoyasu and saw Myne and the rest of the Spear Hero's party standing behind him. Myne was as smug as ever. Her arms were folded beneath her breasts as though she was trying to emphasize them. As if her revealing armor didn't do it enough.
"Now we can spend more time catching up with the Sword Hero," Myne said with a devious smirk.
"I know, right?! Myne told me you were staying here. You should have said so before because I really wanted to see you again." Motoyasu said to Asuka, who looked visibly annoyed.
She looked to Myne and her party mates. One of them, the woman in blue, looked away as if to avoid eye contact. The Sword Hero remembered this woman spying on her. The former likely informed Myne of her living situation. Asuka regretted not being more careful around the guild. This was due to her lack of experience as a Shinobi, no doubt.
"Myne also told me about how you helped her and the girls out with their errand the other day. I thought I'd come down and thank you personally for being so nice to Myne and the girls."
"So this is your payback…" the annoyed Asuka thought as she glared at the smirking Myne.
"I'm honestly surprised you hadn't figured this out sooner, Motoyasu-sama." Myne chuckled, "It must be a sign of your pure innocence."
"No. It's a sign of Motoyasu-kun's stupidity." Asuka thought.
"What does it matter? Asuka-chan is here with us, and we can hang out for once!" Motoyasu cheered.
"Hasn't it crossed your mind that I don't want to hang out with you?" Asuka asked, "And quit being so friendly with me! You haven't forgotten about our duel, have you?"
"Of course, I haven't! But, I know you're only reminding because that drug Naofumi made you take is making you fight for him." Motoyasu said.
"Argh!" Asuka groaned. An angry vein appeared on her head at the mention of the fictitious drug.
"But don't you worry! I will set you free from that drug and Naofumi, even if it means I have to beat you in the duel!" Motoyasu boldly declared as he struck a heroic pose with his spear.
While the girls in his party were awed by his gallantry, Asuka was unimpressed.
"Excuse me…" Evelyn interjected. She was also aggravated at the Spear Hero's behavior.
"Huh? Is something the matter, miss?" Motoyasu asked with a charming smile.
"I was in the middle of a discussion with the Sword Hero before your arrival," Evelyn answered calmly.
"Oh, sorry. I was just so happy to see Asuka-chan." Motoyasu turned to Asuka, "I'm sorry, Asuka-chan. I didn't mean to keep you from anything important. Why don't you finish up with the reception lady, and we can go hang out somewhere?"
"No thanks." Asuka said bluntly before turning her attention to Evelyn, "Anyway, Evelyn-san, remember the job I had yesterday?"
"Yes. Were there any problems?"
"No. My client gave me these grimoires to study as thanks for helping her with her research, but I still don't know how to read the language written here." Asuka held out the Earth grimoire she had in the inventory space, "She said you could teach me to read this world's language, so…"
"You want me to tutor you on our language so you can learn the magic spells in these grimoires?" Evelyn asked.
"Yeah! If you're not too busy, of course…" Asuka said shyly.
Evelyn was moved. This was the first time Asuka had come to her for help. She would have agreed immediately, but the moment was spoiled when Motoyasu interrupted again.
"Wait, you wanna use books to learn magic?" Motoyasu asked as he took the Earth grimoire out of Asuka's hands and held it up to examine it.
"Hey, give that back!"
"Why bother with the tedious crap? You'd just be wasting your time trying to read this. Using the crystal ball method is easier when it comes to learning magic. You don't need a book!" Motoyasu casually tossed the grimoire to the side.
This appalled Asuka and Evelyn.
That grimoire was given to Asuka because the magic shop owner believed in her, despite everything going on with the Sword Hero.
Evelyn knew the old witch personally, and it disturbed and outraged her greatly that a gift from the kindly old lady would be treated so poorly.
"I still have some crystal balls, so if you really wanna learn magic, I don't mind giving you some."
"How generous of you, Motoyasu-sama." Myne said, "But, you don't need to show pity to the Sword Hero."
"No way. I'd feel bad for Asuka-chan if I didn't help her in some way." Motoyasu replied to Myne. He turned back to Asuka with a supportive smile, "See, Asuka-chan? I know things are awkward between us now, but if you need anything, you can just come to me."
"Thank you, Motoyasu-kun, but I'm fine. Myne-san is right." Asuka answered, surprising both the Spear Hero and spoiled princess. "You don't need to show me any pity. Because I don't want it."
Asuka walked over to the grimoire, picked it up, and held it tight to her ample chest.
"The lady who gave this to me is rooting for me. I can't just casually throw away her goodwill." Asuka said, "That, and using the crystal balls sounds like a shortcut to learning magic to me."
"So, you're gonna learn magic that way?" Motoyasu asked, confused.
"Is that a problem?"
"W-Well, no…" Motoyasu meekly answered.
"I didn't think so." Asuka nodded, "By the way, Myne-san, yesterday was fun! We should do it again sometime." she said to Myne with a friendly smile.
This made Myne's face contort with rage for a brief moment. Motoyasu was again confused. If they had a good time yesterday, why did he see sparks flying between them?
"It's just like her to choose the most difficult methods." Itsuki chinned in, approaching Motoyasu from behind.
"Oh, hey, Itsuki! When did you get here?"
"Long before you did, Motoyasu-san," Itsuki answered.
"Wow, this is crazy! Has it really been a week since we last saw each other?" Motoyasu mused.
"Time really flies when you're this busy." Itsuki chuckled.
"That reminds me… Asuka-chan, have you been wearing that outfit this whole time? You need to get an upgrade." Motoyasu said to Asuka as he eyed her clothes. They were the exact same as he last saw them, and he wasn't impressed.
Meanwhile, the Sword Hero became quiet due to vexation at being caught in this situation. Additionally, her plans for today had been derailed.
"This is exactly why I wanted to avoid Motoyasu-kun and Myne-san…" Asuka thought. Myne knew this, and that was why she told Motoyasu of Asuka's living conditions. So he and Itsuki could gang up on the Sword Hero.
"I know! Why don't we get you a brand new suit of armor? We can get you something like Myne's armor. I'm sure it'd look good on you."
Asuka glanced over to Myne, who looked a little distressed at the idea of wearing matching outfits with the Sword Hero. Thankfully, Asuka had no desire to wear Myne's type of armor.
"The armor Myne-san's wearing is impractical. I'm not wearing anything like that." Asuka said. In her opinion, it was also quite gaudy. Asuka would be too embarrassed to wear it in public.
"Oh, okay then. How about we can get you one just like mine. And that way, we'll match!" Motoyasu said with sparkles in his eyes.
"Ew..." Asuka uttered in disgust. She wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same outfit the Spear Hero was wearing.
"He does have a point. You should consider upgrading your current equipment before the Second Wave. Assuming you have the money from the low-paying jobs you always take." said Itsuki with a knowing grin.
"I can take care of myself!" Asuka barked. She realized they were right, but she didn't appreciate Motoyasu's suggestions or Itsuki's condescension.
"Are you sure? I'm sure you still haven't leveled up past 12 yet." Itsuki teased.
"Grr…" Asuka growled, now regretting having told him what level she was. Admittedly, she did level up to 13 after her job with the old witch, but that meant nothing now.
Hearing this made Myne grin confidently. She was more confident than ever of victory in the duel now that she knew the Sword Bimbo was weaker than Motoyasu and Itsuki.
"Hey, Itsuki, that's not very nice!" Motoyasu interjected, "It's only natural that she isn't up to our level. Girls aren't suited for fighting. It'd be weird if Asuka-chan took this seriously."
"Excuse you?!" Asuka exclaimed. She broke free from Motoyasu once more and gave him a furious glare. "What makes you think I'm not cut out for fighting?!"
"But, it's true. Girls like you hate fighting and getting dirty. You're just too delicate for things like that. That's why a strong man like me is around to protect you." Motoyasu proclaimed proudly while the girls in his party fawned over him.
Meanwhile, Asuka was angered by this attitude. The fact that he was trying to look gallant made his remarks all the more irritating.
"That may be true in some cases…" Asuka paused while her hostile gaze fell to his party for a brief moment before returning to Motoyasu, "But, I'm not like that! I can fight and protect myself! That's why I train every day. So I can stay fit and ready for battle!"
"Haha! That's so cute! You don't have to pretend to keep up with me. Just admit it! The truth is you admire my charm and chivalry." Motoyasu chuckled while patting Asuka's head. This gesture didn't lighten her mood. In fact, everything he just said pissed her off more.
"And training every day? Really? You have to be joking, right?"
"Actually, she does train." Itsuki announced, "She believes she can improve herself by physically training. That's why she hasn't leveled up as quickly as we have because she's wasting time and energy on something so pointless. I know this because we talked about it yesterday. Isn't that right, Asuka-san?"
Asuka turned to glare at the Bow Hero. She knew he was trying to get under her skin by revealing that information. The arrogant smirk he was wearing was a dead giveaway.
"Whoa, seriously?" Motoyasu asked before bursting out into laughter, "Hahaha! You're so silly, Asuka-chan! You don't need to train! Our weapons, levels, and skills do all the work for us."
"I agree. I can't see any use in the excessive training routine you subjected yourself to. After all, you're still below us in terms of levels. You'll never clear the Waves at this rate." said Itsuki.
Of course, they would say that. Clearly, neither Motoyasu nor Itsuki have experienced the struggles Asuka had been through since the trial. Everything had been smooth sailing for the Spear and Bow Heroes, while the Sword Hero had been dealing with the public's negative opinion of her and had to scrape by on what she could get. Asuka had learned the true gravity of Cardinal Heroes' situation after that first quest.
And it was very unlikely that they cared at all about Naofumi's situation. Why would they? They went along with the false accusation due to ignorance at best. It still didn't excuse them for not thinking things through at all during the trial.
Most egregiously, they think this is some game, where only levels and fancy skills matter. That may be true on some level, but this world was still real, and you needed more than game smarts to play a game where one's life and the lives of millions were at stake.
"That's where you're both wrong. It isn't pointless." Asuka said, "Leveling up is one thing, but you can't expect it to be that easy. This world is more dangerous than we initially thought. I almost died on my first quest, so I know what I'm talking about."
This came as a surprise to everyone who heard the Sword Hero's words, especially Motoyasu.
"WHAT?! You almost died?!" Motoyasu gasped in horror. Behind him, Myne wished she was there to see the Sword Bimbo get mauled to death by some wild animal.
"The quest she took asked her to clear a pack of dire wolves." Itsuki explained, "From what I heard, they're very dangerous, even for a party."
"That's right. Do you understand now?" Asuka asked.
"Yeah, that I should have gone with you! Otherwise, you wouldn't have faced those monsters by yourself! I could have protected you!"
"I came back just fine! And if you had come with me, you that would've prevented us from leveling up because of our weapons." Asuka refuted.
"All the same, no girl should ever face danger alone! Next time you take on a quest, let me come along so I can fight for you!"
"I already said I can take care of myself! I don't need you to fight for me!" Asuka retorted, becoming more irritated by Motoyasu's protectiveness.
"Look, your stubbornness is cute, but hear me out here! I don't wanna see you get hurt out there! I especially don't want you to live so miserably as you have thus far. You should be having more fun with us." Motoyasu said.
"Speak for yourself…" Myne whispered while her party mates snicker silently behind the Spear Hero's back.
"Or, does Naofumi's drug prevent you from having any fun?" Motoyasu sneered at the thought of Naofumi's drug influencing Asuka's decision, "Actually, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he wanted to drag you down with him. That's why he made you take that drug, isn't it?!"
"Naofumi-kun and that fake drug have zero relevance to this discussion!" Asuka snapped, "My point is that this isn't some game where if we die, we can revive somewhere else. This world is very real. If we're not careful, terrible can happen to us if we're not prepared for it!"
After a short period of stunned silence, Motoyasu and Itsuki burst out laughing. This was joined by Myne's haughty chuckles.
"What's so funny?!"
"Y-You're so cute when you're trying to be serious!" Motoyasu laughed out loud.
"I-I'm sorry, but what you said was too hilarious not to laugh! I've never laughed so hard in my life! Haha!" Itsuki cried.
Asuka scowled at the three people laughing at her. She may not have seen them fight as of yet, but they obviously haven't taken this as seriously as they should. That was most certainly the case with Motoyasu and Itsuki. This carelessness was going to cause problems later down the line. She was sure of it.
Evelyn shot a disapproving glare at the two Heroes and the spoiled princess for their juvenile behavior. They didn't know how much effort Asuka put into improving herself for the Waves of Catastrophe. Evelyn glanced over to the other receptionists and some of the other adventurers, and they seemed equally annoyed by the Spear and Bow Heroes' laughter at their comrade.
More than that, the adventurers felt that the Spear and Bow Heroes were making light of their profession just because they had the Legendary Weapons. Things were also more relaxed for them because the Royal Family of Melromarc was supporting them. The Sword Hero had more respect than that. They never said it out loud, but they secretly admired the Sword Hero for her hardworking nature, whether it was on the job or on the training grounds. Her efforts and understanding should be respected, not mocked.
"Poor little Sword Bimbo. So obviously deluded, thinking she knows better than Motoyasu-sama and Itsuki-sama." Myne chuckled as she strutted her way to the Sword Hero. She bore down on the Sword Hero with unyielding arrogance in her eyes. "Just what were you expecting? Of course, they weren't going to take you seriously. After all, you're just a weak little girl with no friends and no hope of beating the Waves or Motoyasu-sama in the duel. Save yourself the embarrassment and give up!"
Asuka saw the same condescending eyes in most of the others from Motoyasu's party. She was tempted to punch Myne in the face for this taunt. But, that would do no good, and it would land her in deeper trouble than she already was.
"Hey now! No name-calling, Myne." Motoyasu interjected, "So what if Asuka-chan doesn't understand how this world works? She can't help if she's so naïve."
"Who's naïve…?" Asuka glared at Motoyasu. He doesn't seem to be acknowledging that she flat out told him the drug was fake. "No, that's more like stubbornness than naivety."
"Let me give you some advice, Asuka-chan. Learn to relax, and you'll be like me in no time. And if you really wanna improve yourself, just refine your sword and boost its stats, and you're good to go."
"Huh?" Asuka gasped.
"M-Motoyasu-sama, why would you tell her that?!" Myne sputtered.
"Good question…" Mald muttered to himself. He still didn't approve of Itsuki informing the Sword Fake of his strengthening method the other day.
"Huh? What's the harm? She looks like she could use all the help she can get." Motoyasu answered Myne.
"But what about the duel?! She could still win if she has that knowledge!" Myne warned.
"She's still ten levels below me. There's nothing to worry about." Motoyasu shrugged, "And I'll be sure to go easy on her. I can't bruise that delicate body of hers."
Asuka was quiet throughout this exchange. "That's different from what Itsuki-kun told me. I figured they wouldn't be training like me, but… could they have different methods of strengthening their weapons?"
"Don't confuse her, Motoyasu-san." Itsuki said, "The strength of your weapon depends on how rare the weapons you copy are."
"What?! That's stupid!" Motoyasu retorted, "Refining your weapon and boosting its stats is what's important!"
"This whole situation is stupid!" Asuka thought, finally reaching the end of her patience.
"It is not! You should place more focus on valuables to use for your spear!"
"I already do! With the right ores, smelting and strengthening your weapon is the best way to get the most out of your weapon!"
This discussion eventually broke into a heated argument.
Instead of standing in the middle of it, Asuka walked over to Evelyn while Motoyasu and Itsuki were still arguing.
"U-Um, are you sure you should leave it like that?" Evelyn asked as the Sword Hero stood somberly in front of her.
"It's fine. Let those two think what they want." Asuka replied. Her eyes had frustration and a bit of sorrow in them. "Whatever happens to them is no longer my concern…"
Asuka truly believed one day she and the other Cardinal Heroes could fight together. They could become a team and fight against the Waves of Catastrophe as one. But, after the trial, Naofumi was unlikely to forgive her for failing to prove his innocence and wouldn't want to work with her. And today, it was shown that Motoyasu and Itsuki do not value her as an equal. They saw her as the inferior one among the Three Heroes. Motoyasu, because of his outdated belief in girls being the weaker sex. And Itsuki, because his pettiness and ego were getting more intolerable by the day. If they were going to laugh in her face when she tried to warn them of the dangers ahead, then what point was there in trying to reason with them?
She could no longer see either of them as potential allies.
"So, anyway… about the reading lessons…?" Asuka asked.
"Of course, I'll teach you to read our language. It'd be my pleasure to help you in any way I can." Evelyn smiled, causing Asuka's eyes to brighten. "However, I can only teach you how to read and write. I don't use magic, so I wouldn't know the first thing about it. I recommend finding someone who can teach the basics of magic to you. From there, you can practice on your own, and you'll get the hang of it in no time."
"Which probably means I need to start thinking about forming a party." Asuka sighed. She was fine on her own for now, but the Sword Hero knew she needed an adventuring party for the Second Wave and future adventures. The problem was that she didn't know whether or not she could trust the adventurers in this guild. She never went out of her way to socialize in the guild either.
"It's okay. You don't need to rush it." Evelyn assured.
"Yeah! If you wanna learn magic that badly, I'm sure Emerald-chan can teach you a thing or two." Motoyasu said after "settling" his disagreement with Itsuki. After turning his back to a frustrated Itsuki, Motoyasu stood directly behind Asuka. From where he stood, he could get an over-the-shoulder view of her breasts. Even while they were covered by her mantle, they were still noticeable.
Asuka's mood dampened when she realized why he was there.
"Hey, Emerald-chan, you don't mind teaching Asuka-chan magic, do you?" Motoyasu asked the Green Mage named Emerald.
"M-Me?!" Emerald gasped, "I-I don't know…"
Her twitchy eyebrows and nervous smile made it obvious how much she didn't want to do it. The feeling was mutual since Asuka didn't want to learn anything from Emerald.
"Oh c'mon, it'll be fun!"
"Motoyasu-kun, you don't need to force your party member to help. I can find someone else." Asuka said as she faced Motoyasu.
"But, you still don't have a party. And what if some weirdo offers to help you with learning magic?" Motoyasu asked.
"I'm not stupid. I can figure out who's shady on my own." Asuka muttered.
"I don't wanna take that chance. I'd prefer it if you learned magic under my watchful eye."
"Why?"
"You're new to this whole thing, remember? And because you lack so much experience in this world, I'd say it's up to me to show you the ropes. Now, I'm not asking you to join my party, but I do want you to learn from my example if you're so keen on being an expert like me. Which means you need to stay as close to me as possible." said Motoyasu, with a confident grin.
As kind as he tried to sound, Asuka could not help but feel that he was mocking her pride as a fighter. In her previous world, she trained for years to get where she was, while Motoyasu didn't work at all while he was in this world. He had yet to realize that Asuka was had far more combat experience and was far stronger than him and the other Heroes. If not for the promised duel and her own self-restrained, she would have flattened him by now.
"I also know that some of the nobles around here are trying to take advantage of you. That's why I want you to always depend on me, Asuka-chan. I promise I will protect you."
Asuka wasn't fooled. Motoyasu had the same look in his eyes as those nobles who proposed to her. The difference between them and the Spear Hero was that the nobles wanted her so they could raise their status. Motoyasu simply wants to add her to his harem. The Sword Hero lost count of many times he snuck peeks at her breasts today. How he was standing directly behind her did not help her opinion of him.
"Let me make this clear to you, Motoyasu-kun. I don't want your help!" Asuka snapped at Motoyasu, to his surprise.
He was hoping that Asuka would take to him by now, but she seemed determined to resist. This had to be because of the drug Naofumi forced her to take. There was no other way Asuka would be so resistant to his help or his desire to protect her.
"Evelyn-san, I'm thankful you decided to teach me to read and write, but can we put the lessons on hold for a little while? I want to blow off some steam with another quest." Asuka said to Evelyn. She stored the grimoire back in her sword's inventory space.
"Y-Yes, that won't be a problem." Evelyn sputtered.
Without another word, Asuka began walking over to the quest board.
"H-Huh? Wait, Asuka-chan!" Motoyasu cried, unable to process how she could be so stubborn. He tried to reach for Asuka's shoulder, only for Myne to stop him once again.
"It's best if you don't try to interfere with her, Motoyasu-sama," Myne said.
"B-But…"
"Remember, her defiant attitude is because the drug prevents her from seeing anyone besides the Shield Hero as a friend. You have to win the duel to free her. Once that's done, she'll realize your love and care for her."
"As well as her place beneath my boot…"
"I-If you say so, Myne. I should be more patient with her." Motoyasu sighed in defeat. He should consider himself lucky Myne stopped him because his spear downstairs would have been broken.
However, before she could head over to the quest board, Itsuki decided to stop in front of Asuka.
"How long do you intend to keep on like this? Dimwitted and insensitive he may be, Motoyasu-san is trying to help you." Itsuki frowned.
"Hey!" Motoyasu yelled out but was ignored by the Bow Hero.
Asuka didn't respond. She simply waited for Itsuki to stop talking so she could go about her own business.
"Rejecting his advice and choosing the make things as difficult as possible for yourself… I can't begin to grasp how foolish you are. Do you honestly think you can stand a chance against the Waves at the rate you're going, let alone your duel with Motoyasu-san? I bet even Naofumi-san would find you laughable at this point. And he's a miserable criminal." Itsuki said in a taunting tone.
At hearing this verbal abuse and Naofumi's name mentioned again in such disparaging light, Asuka's face grew angry.
"Although, I'm sure your cheating ability will help you scrap by one way or another-"
SLAP!
That piercing sound echoed throughout the guildhall. Everyone in the guild was silent after witnessing what she did.
Like with Motoyasu, Asuka didn't use her full strength when she slapped Itsuki across the face, though it did leave him stunned. A part of her wished she had, but what's done is done.
"Help me understand something, Itsuki-kun… why do you suddenly hate me? I haven't done anything to you this past week, and yet you keep treating me like I'm the enemy. Where is this coming from?" Asuka asked.
One second was it took for Itsuki to regain himself and send a hateful glare at the girl who slapped him, "You should already know the answer to that."
"No, I don't! We were cordial to each other before all this. We rarely spoke when we started taking on quests. And now, since yesterday, you've been on my case, and I don't know why! It can't just be about Naofumi-kun, the trial, me having different abilities than you, or that I'm a bunch of levels lower than you! Tell me why is it that you hate me!"
Itsuki didn't respond. Instead, his hateful gaze intensified.
Knowing that she wouldn't get an answer, Asuka walked past the Bow Hero.
"I still have no idea what's going through your head, and I very much don't care to know now! For the last time, leave me alone."
"Where do you think you're going?!" Mald shouted as he marched up to Asuka, "You dare assault and make demands on Itsuki-sama?! You little whore!"
Mald was getting ready to slap Asuka in the cheek in retaliation, but he lost consciousness after Asuka grabbed his face and slammed his body against the floor headfirst. His large body was nearly embedded in the wooden floor.
This shocked everyone. Some were stunned, and some were fearful of Asuka's raw might.
From this, Asuka took no joy. Even if she wanted to be a Hero still, she knew she couldn't do it by acting out in such extreme violence, even if it was done in self-defense. Arguing with the other Heroes didn't help either. Whatever respect she earned from the guild was gone now. The Sword Hero was sure of it.
Mere moments after this frightening display of strength and dominance, Asuka turned to the adventurers and workers of the Adventurer's Guild. She bowed her head low to them.
"I apologize for the commotion. I won't disturb this place anymore with my presence. Please, have a nice day." Asuka said in a polite tone. Calmly and slowly, Asuka made her silent exit from the guild, though not before she left some silver coins behind to pay for the damages done to the floor. She even ignored Evelyn's calls.
"A… S-Sword Hero-sama…"
Evelyn fell silent after Asuka closed the guildhall doors, never to return.
Evelyn saw the look of sadness in Asuka's eyes as she walked past the reception desk. Just when she thought she could become friends with the Sword Hero, Evelyn's hopes were dashed.
Myne saw this, and her arrogant grin crept back up. The Sword Bimbo was more isolated now than she was before now that Motoyasu and Itsuki made their opinions about her known, and the spoiled redhead couldn't be happier that her rival left the guild.
"Asuka-chan, wait!" Motoyasu cried as she left. He turned and ran up to Itsuki and roughly grabbed him by the collar. "I hope you're happy, Itsuki! Asuka-chan just left, and it's your fault!"
"Me?! She's the one who slapped me! Not to mention, she just assaulted my friend!" Itsuki shouted back at Motoyasu.
"He was about to hit her, so he deserved it! And you were mouthing off to her, so you deserved that slap too! That was seriously not cool!"
"And what about you! If you weren't such a creep looking to shove your nose down her cleavage, she might have responded more positively to you! Then again, you lusting after someone much younger than you goes beyond creepy!"
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean!"
"ENOUGH!" Evelyn shouted above the arguing Heroes, catching their attention. "Both of you are to blame for this! Your lechery and childishness respectively caused Asuka-san to leave this guildhall! The way you dismissed and laughed at her was deplorable beyond words. Asuka-san understood the risks involved with being an adventurer! She understands what's at stake in the fight against the Waves of Catastrophe! She may not have had the support of a party or the Royal Family, nor is she at the same level as you both, but she worked hard to earn what she has! And she has real compassion in her heart, unlike you heartless cretins! Who are either of you to treat Asuka-san so poorly?!"
Evelyn poured so much of her emotion into this speech that she hadn't realized she used Asuka's name. It didn't matter because the receptionist wasn't holding back.
"Because of you two, she may never return here… have neither of you any shame?!"
Motoyasu and Itsuki were stunned by the receptionist's outrage.
Moments later, some adventurers stood up from their seats and gave the two Heroes menacing glares. They weren't vocal about it, but they shared the same feelings Evelyn did. They developed a measure of respect for the Sword Hero in the short time she was present. Seeing her made a fool of and being forced to leave the guild wasn't taken lightly by them.
The two Heroes were unnerved by the looks they were getting. They weren't expecting NPCs to react like this.
This lasted only for a few short moments until another individual was slapped in the face.
This time, it was Evelyn, done to by Myne. The force of the slap was enough to make Evelyn fall to the ground.
"That's enough out of you!" Myne sneered, "If that wretched little Sword Bimbo decided to quit the guild, that's her choice. It's just as Itsuki-sama said. She's making things hard for herself. And she rightfully deserves the worst for spurning Motoyasu-sama's generosity and hurting Itsuki-sama's face."
Evelyn didn't respond to Myne's comments, even as she was helped up by her co-workers. They knew it was pointless to defy Princess Malty.
The adventurers who stood up in Asuka's defense stood down. The two Heroes were one thing, but they knew better than to cross Princess Malty.
"Let that be your only warning. Don't think I'll be so generous next time, harlot." Myne warned before rejoining Motoyasu and acting as if nothing had happened.
"M-Myne…"
"Motoyasu-sama, shall we call it a day?" Myne asked sweetly.
"O-Okay… if you want." Motoyasu said nervously.
"Excellent, because there's this pastry shop we should visit! I'm sure the girls will love it!" Myne said excitedly. The girls in Motoyasu's party showed their excitement as well.
"Alright, if that's what you girls want! Naturally, it's on me!" Motoyasu smiled.
"Yay!"
The Spear Hero's party vacated the guild not a moment sooner.
Itsuki meanwhile waited for Mald to wake up. Other than a concussion, he suffered no serious injuries. Itsuki decided it was time to leave too. He would never forget about the swelling wound Asuka dealt to his pride.
It was made worse by the whispers of the adventurers.
"And these are supposed to be the Cardinal Heroes? What a joke!"
"So much for the Three Heroes. Now what?"
"They'll still fight the Waves, but I don't think they'll work together any time soon."
"Not with the Spear Hero being a total creep and the Bow Hero's holier than thou attitude. Of the Three Heroes, it seems the Sword Hero is the only one who's got her act together."
"But she's left the guild now. Even with her incredible talents, how is she possibly going to get strong enough in preparation for the Second Wave? She could have gone far in this guild."
"I think I'm gonna miss having her around. She may not have talked to us much, but at least she was easy on the eyes."
"I feel like the Sword Hero might've been easier to talk to than the other Heroes. Maybe if we just gave her a chance…"
Hearing all of this made Itsuki's blood boil, "Why don't they see the truth? Asuka-san is a cheater breaking the rules, Naofumi-san is a criminal, and Motoyasu-san is a clown. I'm the only one good enough to be a Hero!"
"Still, she is fighting a duel for the Shield Hero. That's still one strike against her."
"Not to mention, she disapproves of demi-human slavery. I don't care for it myself, but I'm not looking to stick my neck out for 'em either."
"Guess the Sword Hero's a lost cause, drugged or not."
"You actually believe in that drug nonsense?"
"I'm not as stupid as the Spear Hero!"
Hearing this pleased Itsuki.
"At least they recognize her faults. That alone isn't enough to prove how inadequate Asuka-san is. They'll see who she really is when the Second Wave hits." Itsuki whispered to himself.
[-Castle-Town Main Street-]
Asuka wore an embittered face walk away from the Adventurer's Guild.
Had she stayed in the guild any longer, she would have developed more stress than before. There was absolutely no way she could continue living at the guild, let alone work there with those three hanging around. It was only one day, but it felt like all they did was put her down and make fun of her and it was surely going to stay that way. It was only a matter of time before Asuka decided to call it quits on guild work.
Part of why she was training at the guild was because Asuka wanted to keep the memories of her old world behind. Now more than ever did she want to go home. She wanted to go back to her old life where her old friends were. She wanted to go back to when life was fun, where she had friends and family who cared about her. She didn't want to deal with this nonsense anymore.
"Look… it's the fake Sword Hero." whispered a scornful citizen.
"She has some nerve thinking she can walk around after she defied King Aultcray."
"She's still wearing those dirty rags. The Spear and Bow Heroes are better dressed than her!"
"If she hadn't tried to defend the Shield Hero and took pity on demi-human, she wouldn't be living in such a miserable state."
"She's a disgrace to the Three Heroes!"
More malicious insults filled the air like poison, seeping their way into the Sword Hero's ear. They were never going to leave her alone. Neither her so-called fellow Heroes who believed she was weak nor the poisonous words and vile eyes of Melromarc. It was a little over a week, and they still think the worst of her? Asuka thought she would have earned their respect by now, but nothing changed. They were still projecting their twisted views of the Cardinal Heroes onto her and still didn't like that she was not what they wanted her to be.
Having heard of enough, Asuka gritted her teeth and sprinted away as fast as she could. She reached the city gate in little time.
Her rage blinded the Sword Hero. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care. Asuka was filled with so much rage, she had to let it out. It had been building up for so long. She did her best to suppress it, but now it was meaningless. The Sword Hero just couldn't take it anymore.
In the nearby forest, Asuka stopped in front of a tree and began to viciously punch it.
"Hate this place…" she muttered. She punched the tree again.
"I hate this place…"
Asuka continued to punch the tree repeatedly while muttering the same thing again. Even after her knuckles were bruised and bloody.
"I hate this place! I hate this place! I hate this place! I hate this place! I HATE THIS PLACE!"
PUNCH!
After one last punch, the tree couldn't take any more. The strength she put in split the tree in half, and it fell down.
Soon after, Asuka collapsed to the ground and quietly sobbed to herself, even as the dusk settled into night.
Her anguished cries echoed into the night.
[-One Week Later-]
Two weeks had passed since that trial, and it was nothing short of unpleasant for Naofumi.
It was slow and miserable from day to evening, like always for Naofumi. It had been like this since last week after that damn trial. The looks of scorn and fear he learned to ignore, but it was never easy. The best he could do was endure it until he could return home.
Naofumi would make do with what he could by collecting materials from monsters and other objects to feed his shield and intimidate shop owners into giving him fair deals with what he sold. At least the old man from the medicine shop was indifferent to the Shield Hero's criminal status and was willing to do business with him. It didn't mean he could fully trust him, but Naofumi took what he could get from him.
To the Shield Hero, everyone in this world was the same as Myne. They'd lie and betray him the moment they get the chance. It angered him, not knowing who to trust or who would betray him.
But still, at the rate he was going, he wasn't going to last against the Waves. He recently leveled up to Level 4 after beating countless numbers of balloons. He needed to find some way of leveling up faster before the Second Wave fits.
Sitting in a tavern, Naofumi overhears something from other patrons.
"Hey, did you hear about the Sword Hero?"
"About how she quit the Adventurer's Guild and hasn't been seen since? It's been the talk of the down for about a week, ya know."
This caught Naofumi's attention. He heard about Asuka quitting the guild, but a bunch of theories had been floating about as to why. One of them was about a prank she pulled on Myne and her gaggle of bitches. Naofumi would have paid gold to see that. There was also something about a heated argument between her, Motoyasu, and Itsuki.
"Wasn't it because of some dispute between the Three Heroes?"
"I heard she slapped the Bow Hero silly."
"You don't think it had something to do with the Shield Hero, do you?"
"Why am I not surprised? It's because she pities the Shield Hero and demi-humans that she's being called a fake."
"What's she gonna do now that she's on the outs with the guild?"
"With a body like hers, I bet she'd be real popular at the brothels! Haha!"
"Yeah, she can take my money any day!"
"Oh, but she still has eyes for the Shield Hero, I bet!"
The gossipers begin to laugh about what they were gossiping about, even in earshot of the Shield Hero.
"Bastards…" Naofumi grumbled, sickened by their comments about his former friend. Were they saying it was his fault Asuka decided to leave the guild and vanished? Bullshit! As far as he was concerned, Asuka chose her way of life. If she left the guild, that was her business. Naofumi couldn't care less what happened to her after she failed so miserably to clear his name. Or was she faking her kindness like Myne?
Naofumi still wrestled with the idea that Asuka was plotting against him. He felt she was the same as Myne and anyone else in this putrid world. There was no way anyone in this world, especially not women, could be trustworthy. Myne's deceit taught him. And yet, the Shield Hero couldn't shake the feeling that he was misunderstanding something.
The last time he spoke to Asuka, her distraught face when Naofumi told her he couldn't trust her anymore stuck with him. No one would have made a face like that unless their feelings were truly hurt.
"Fuck!" Naofumi cursed. To distract himself, Naofumi went back to eating his cheap meal, which was little more than leftovers. Unfortunately, it had no flavor.
Ever since the trial, Naofumi lost his sense of taste. Even the most disgusting of meals had no effect on his taste buds.
This was due to the trauma of the trial damaging much of his sanity. He numbed his ability to taste, and he could only see the world in a bleak shade of gray.
"O great Shield Hero!" called out a thug. He was flanked by two others. "We'll join your party if you want!"
"Yeah, be thankful!" said a second thug, casually touching Naofumi's shoulder.
This immediately made him think of Myne when she touched him. Just remembering her deceptive act touched a nerve for the Shield Hero.
Naofumi already knew these jokers were up to no good, but he figured he may as well play along and teach them a lesson.
"Fine. But, we need to talk business first."
"Hehe, sure thing!"
"Your performance will determine your pay. You guys know what that means?"
The thugs answered that they didn't while laughing. Naofumi bluntly explained that they'd split the money depending on how well they did on quests. As the leader, he'd keep 40% of the cash reward while the others would be paid at his discretion. If they did nothing of value, he'd pay them nothing. This predictably got on the thugs' nerves, and they quickly realized that the Shield Hero wasn't going to be an easy mark.
Leading them outside, Naofumi got the three thugs to reveal their plan to mug him. Of course, the Shield Hero wasn't going to make it easy for them. As soon as they tried to force him to cough up his money, Naofumi countered with one of the orange balloon monsters he had hidden under his mantle.
Since they couldn't hurt him due to his high defense, the Shield Hero kept the balloons as a way to intimidate anyone who tried to take advantage of him.
One of the thugs attempted to attack him with a knife, but Naofumi raised his shield time to deflect the attack. Doing so caused the defensive aura to flare up.
Realizing that they were outmatched, the thugs run off, leaving Naofumi alone. This victory did not satisfy Naofumi at all.
He was fully aware of his inability to farm EXP due to his high defensive abilities in place of next to no offense. Without any offensive, he couldn't level up nearly as fast as he would have wanted.
"I'm stuck in a loop! Dammit!" Naofumi grunted as he kicked the balloon monster under his heel away.
This was one of the most frustrating aspects of his new life in this dunghill of a world. On top of barely having any money to spare, he couldn't level. He was forever doomed to be seen as the weakest of the Cardinal Heroes. His boneheaded decision to throw away the remainder of his silver coins didn't help either.
"It appears you could use some help!" said a deep voice from out of the darkness.
Naofumi turned around to see a strange-looking man wearing a creepy smile hiding in the alley.
The man was short in stature and pudgy. He wore a black tuxedo adorned with feathers. He also had a top hat and round, shiny glasses. He looked like a ringleader from a circus.
The Shield Hero turned his back to the man, getting ready to leave.
"And I'm more than willing to help you if you want! I have exactly what you need." the man declared.
"If you're offering me party members, you can just drop it," Naofumi said with a scowl. He wouldn't be so willing to trust anyone in his party after what Myne did. People have already come to him offering to form a party with him. Naofumi declined all of them, thinking they were going to betray him in the end.
"No, no! What I'm offering is much more convenient." the man proclaimed.
"And what would that be?" Naofumi asked, somewhat curious.
"Oh, interested are we?" the man asked as he crept up behind the Shield Hero.
"Leave me alone…"
"Haha! You have that look in your eye I just adore!" the short man chuckled, "You're every bit the man the rumors said you'd be."
"So you know who I am?"
"But of course I do, Shield Hero-sama." the short man answered, "If my offer interests you, please follow me, and we can discuss it further."
Naofumi had a bad feeling about this, but his curiosity told him that it might be worth seeing what this midget had to offer, so he decided to follow the ringleader.
After a bit of walking, the two men come upon a huge circus tent. A circus would have a more fun vibe and a joyful atmosphere. There was something ominous about the place, especially since it was nighttime.
As soon as they entered the tent, it became even more ominous due to the darkness within. It smelled of rot and death.
The ringleader led Naofumi inside an area with stacks of cages. Most of them were covered by sheets.
"So, what is it that you're offering me?"
"Haven't you figured it out by looking? They're slaves, my boy!" the ringleader declared with no reservations. As soon as he made this bold declaration, the tent lit up with glowing red eyes nearly directed at him and the Shield Hero.
"Slaves… you can't be serious!" Naofumi sneered with disgust. He heard about slaves in this country but never imagined he'd stumble upon a slave trader's tent of all things.
"Absolutely serious." the slave trader grinned.
"What would make you think I'd want to own slaves?" asked Naofumi.
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps the fact that slaves can neither lie nor betray their master." the slave trader answered.
This drew Naofumi's attention. Knowing that he had him hooked, the slave trader continued to reel him in.
"We keep our slaves under control with a curse. A seal-based curse. If they misbehave, it could take their very lives!" the slave trader drew a circle on the ground with his cane to emphasize his point.
"A slave who can't disobey their master… that does sound convenient." Naofumi thought. Given his circumstances, he hardly had any choice but to buy a slave if he couldn't fight monsters, let alone survive the Waves of Catastrophe in the future. Besides, he'd rather trust an obedient slave than someone with free will and face another betrayal.
"I take it you're interested?" asked the slave trader.
"Show me what you got." Naofumi nodded.
"I knew you had what it takes to be a most wonderful patron." the slave trader said with a pleased smile. He led Naofumi further into the tent. The Shield Hero noticed that many of the slaves on sale had animal-like features. Some even looked like animals. The slave trader explained that they were demi-humans, and they were treated as slaves in Melromarc as this country practiced human supremacy. The demi-humans, the creatures that look human but have animal features, were used as servants or manual labor. Those that looked more like beasts, the Therianthropes, were used as bodyguards or gambled on in deathmatches.
The slave trader led Naofumi to one cage in particular.
It housed a vicious werewolf at level 75. The slave trader denominated 15 gold pieces for it, to Naofumi's annoyance.
"Showing me your best slave even though you know I can't afford it?" Naofumi asked.
"Indeed! I'm certain you'll become my best customer, so I need you to develop a keen eye. I have a nose for this sort of thing." the slave trader answered.
Naofumi could care less about the man's opinion.
"So then, Shield Hero-sama, what exactly would you like for a slave?"
"One who's cheap and obedient," Naofumi replied.
"In other words, you want a demi-human. They aren't well suited for combat."
"Doesn't matter!" Naofumi said, "If I need 'em to fight, I'll train them."
"Haha! That's an amusing response when you don't believe in people." the slave trader chuckled.
"But, slaves aren't people. Training one is the same as upgrading my shield." Naofumi said, to the slave trader's ever-increasing amusement.
"Hehe! You got me there!"
Naofumi knew how morally repugnant this line of thinking was, but again, he had no choice. He had some small measure of pity for these creatures, but the Shield Hero had no use for it if he planned to survive in this world.
The slave trader led Naofumi to three cages in particular. As he was explaining the first two demi-humans and denominating his prices for them, Naofumi's attention was diverted when he heard the sound of coughing.
The Shield Hero made his way over to the case and moved the covers, revealing a young girl with long and messy brown hair. She had little more than torn clothes to wear. The girl looked human but had animal features that seemed to be a raccoon/tanuki hybrid. Her skin was pale, and her body was covered in lashes.
The girl trembled in fear as Naofumi and the slave trader stood in front of her cage.
"Interested in that one, are we?" asked the slave trader, "Raccoon types like her aren't as popular as the foxes."
Naofumi didn't say a word. He kept his cold eyes on the girl as she looked up at him with her large tea-red eyes. They looked empty and devoid of hope. That look in her eye seemed familiar somehow.
"This mangy raccoon girl is quite sick and has trouble sleeping due to night terrors and panic attacks. I should also mention that her previous owner loved his torture. In her state, she wouldn't be of any use to you." the slave trader explained.
As the mention of her previous owner, the girl trembled something fierce. It likely triggered the awful memories of her time with him.
Naofumi saw this and understood why she had that familiar look in her eye. It reminded him of Asuka.
Ordinarily, he would have thought of Myne in this scenario after spending weeks being looked down upon by the people of this town. Naofumi would have likened this girl to Myne the same way he did everyone in this world, especially women. However, he thought back to when he first arrived in this world with Asuka, Motoyasu, and Itsuki.
Asuka was the only one of them to have shown signs of stress after being summoned. Naofumi saw up close the look of despair in her eyes as she clung to him. Obviously, she wasn't someone's slave, but she had to have seen something horrific if she was ready to hurl and was shaking like a leaf. Could it have been related to her death?
This girl had that same expression of fear and despair. A part of Naofumi felt sorry for whatever happened to her, especially the part about torture.
At the same time, his mind was filled with vengeful desires toward Myne for what she did to him. He wanted to make her suffer for her misdeeds. He'd do anything to see that happen. Even if he had someone suffer in her place. It'd be some kind of revenge toward Myne for everything she put him through.
"With this girl, I can just pretend that woman is my slave."
"The poor thing's not long for this world, so I recommend something healthier."
"No, she'll do!" Naofumi announced, to the slave trader's surprise. The Shield Hero wore an emotionless and cold expression when he made his decision to buy.
This also made the girl's fears all the worse.
"What's your name? Or do you not have one?" Naofumi asked.
"R-Raphtalia..."
Lyall the Werewolf: Good gosh, that took a dark turn! Seems no matter what she does, someone will try to dog Asuka's steps.
In the end, I decided to keep Motoyasu as he was in the original while amplifying Itsuki's uglier personality traits.
I decided it was time to focus on Naofumi for change. He hardly had anything in the last story, so I'll adapt a few chapters from Shield Hero canon for this, but with the added aspects of Naofumi's feelings toward Myne and Asuka.
To clarify, he hates Myne with a burning passion for her betrayal and wants to see her suffer for it. Meanwhile, he's confused about whether he wants to believe in Asuka or not.
And now that we have Raphtalia, we'll see what changes.
Update: I changed the name of the chapter because it didn't feel fitting for this chapter.