Rise of the Sword and the Shield chapter 10: Distance
Lyall the Werewolf: Okay, I'm glad everyone's satisfied with Asuka's return to form. Although, I'm surprised not many had anything to say about the SK/DBZ crossover I have planned. Well, whatever. It's still in production, so I'm sure everyone can wait. I've had this crossover in mind long before Saiyan4ever proposed the idea and am still working out the details.
That being said, I don't usually take challenges or requests. I'm willing to discuss them and might consider them in the future. I actually tried writing a requested crossover story once, but it went nowhere. It was probably because I wasn't truly motivated to write someone else's story rather than my own. It's since been deleted.
Anyway, Asuka's learning of the plot against her is a definite step in the right direction. What happened in the last version won't happen again. Chapter 08 of the previous version is what I consider the representation of my failure to capture Asuka's character correctly. I still feel a bit of pride over how it turned out and how invoked so much emotion, but the fact remains, I failed Asuka as a character for not using every aspect of her to write the story and did my own thing. Old reviews have been indirectly telling me that I'm writing Asuka like my own character, and I ignored them, which wasn't good. Also, the whole thing was actually a convoluted mess when you think about it. It didn't make sense to have the duel take place ahead of schedule. The repetitive nature of the confrontational scenes didn't make it better. That's an issue with my writing in general. I repeat stuff, and I'm hoping to not make the same mistake again this time around or in the future.
I forgot to mention this before, but for the Lizal Scale Sword, I took inspiration from the Lizalfos from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These chameleon-like monsters can camouflage themselves to blend into the environment. As for how she unlocked it, let's just say she picked it from a recent quest before she went underground.
To clarify for those who are confused by the drug making Asuka hate Motoyasu (according to the idiot himself): this drug would count as brainwashing. It was explained to me that the Legendary Weapons protect the Cardinal Heroes from enslavement curses. I think someone said something about the weapons protecting them from brainwashing too. I can't remember who said it or when, but I think the Legendary Weapons can protect the Heroes from curses unless it's the Curse Series affecting their personalities. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.
And yes, Asuka will eventually get a Filolial. Not now, because as everyone pointed out, it would draw attention to herself, which she is trying to avoid. Some people have offered up their own Filolial ideas, but that was a long time ago, so I can't remember them that well. If I still can't, I could just up with something myself.
Anyway, this chapter will focus on Asuka keeping her distance as she observes Naofumi and Raphtalia's relationship.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
It was morning by the time Asuka got to work on tracking Naofumi and Raphtalia. Using her Enhanced Scent Detection, Asuka tracked them to Erhard's weapon shop. She decided it was best to not go inside. It would have been awkward to talk to him face to face after their last meeting. She also wanted to avoid troubling Erhard with more of her issues.
Asuka hoped all he wanted was to train Raphtalia to fight and nothing more. Even if he owned her now, Naofumi wouldn't do anything to hurt the little girl. Otherwise, why would he take her to the weapon shop? To buy better equipment so Rahptalia could better fight monsters and boost their levels.
Before Asuka left the guild, she heard a little about how partying functions. One aspect that caught Asuka's attention was how the leader can set up party members as Companions who share EXP. Asuka would have loved to party up with someone, but none of the guild members ever approached her, nor did she approach them out of distrust. She was starting to regret that now. If she had talked to them, maybe she could have potential allies.
Naofumi and Raphtalia exited the weapon shop after a few minutes. Asuka followed them discreetly.
She noticed Raphtalia looking fearful for a moment. She was likely afraid of Naofumi abusing her, not unlike another man physically punishing his demi-human slaves close by. Asuka would have intervened, but that would alert Naofumi and it would lead to more awkward situations. For now, it was best not to stir up trouble.
"Sorry…" Asuka whispered.
Eventually, Asuka followed the Shield Hero and his slave to the same restaurant she went to a week ago.
She avoided coming here after her fallout with the guild. It was part of her plan to keep as low a profile as possible. This was for her infiltration and observation missions. That included not eating at public restaurants.
But, seeing Naofumi and Raphtalia go, even though they didn't allow for demi-humans to dine there, made the Shinobi a little worried.
"I've got my hood on, so it should be fine, right?" Asuka muttered to herself. She could wear another disguise, but there wasn't much time.
She went in hesitantly, fearing Naofumi potentially discovering her.
That was why she chose to sit at a table far away from the Shield Hero and Raphtalia.
"What can I get today, miss?" asked the waiter. Earlier, he was less than inviting to Naofumi and Raphtalia, but after serving the orders for the duo, he was willing to take an order for Asuka, who kept her face hidden.
Asuka would have chosen the same meal as before, but that would be pretty suspicious. "I'll have a salad."
"What kind of salad?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm strapped for cash." Asuka answered. She currently had money trouble was due to secretly donating money to the Adventurer's Guild. They could repair the broken floor after her assault on Mald.
"Okay… coming upright." the waiter said as he jotted down the order on his notepad. "But seriously, why do we get the less famous Cardinal Heroes here? First the Sword Hero, and now the Shield Hero and some demi-human girl? I swear we have the worst luck!"
The waiter's complaints were met with silence from his latest customer. Seeing this, he went on his way to continue working.
A couple of minutes later, Asuka received her salad. It was simply a vegetable salad with various chopped carrots and cabbages.
As she started eating the admittedly bland salad, Asuka glanced over to Naofumi and Raphtalia.
While Naofumi was slowly shuffling the same meals she was eating before into his mouth, Raphtalia was enjoying her healthy-looking kid's meal. She looked very happy while doing so.
While she was glad that Naofumi was treating his slave to good food, Asuka couldn't help but feel envious of the raccoon girl's plate.
The Sword Hero thought back to that stake she ate with Naofumi and Myne. That was the only time she got to enjoy the company of a fellow hero and friend before the next day when Asuka met the ugly side of Melromarc, courtesy of Myne's wickedness. The memory of that stake turned sour after all that has happened.
"That stake was really good…"
[-Later: The Meadow-]
After lunchtime, Naofumi took Raphtalia outside of the Castle-Town to start farming for EXP.
Due to the rule about the Legendary Weapons halting EXP gain, Asuka had to distance herself from the pair so that they could level and she could avoid detection.
Asuka stood far enough so she could observe Naofumi and Raphtalia from a safe distance without disturbing them. She made sure to conceal her presence behind the trees. It helped that Asuka decided to take a slight detour to buy cheap and decent food with some of the money she had left, so they had a head start on farming on the balloon monsters.
Naofumi was teaching Raphtalia how to fight. He seemed harsh, but Raphtalia quickly learned. The former Shinobi could see Raphtalia had some potential as a swordswoman in the future. If the opportunity came, Asuka would like to teach her some things as well.
Seeing that there was nothing to worry about, Asuka decided to leave the master/slave pair alone for the while.
She wasn't in any rush for anything at the moment. Myne mentioned that she, Motoyasu, and the rest of their party would leave in a few days. That gave her enough time to figure something out. If she didn't, the worst that could happen was if Motoyasu somehow blow her clothes off while he paralyzed her and the royal family dishonorably declaring him the winner. That would suck, especially if it was done in front of a crowd.
To make sure something like that wouldn't happen, she needed to make sure he didn't acquire whatever abilities the Giant Scorpion King had. Personally, she preferred a fair fight with an equal, but Motoyasu has proven otherwise to be an equal, both personally and on the battlefield, especially with Myne backing his corner. He quite frankly deserved to be sabotaged after all that he has done.
There was also the enslavement part of the plot to worry about. Myne must be desperate to assert her dominance if she was willing to interfere with the duel and make Asuka her slave.
Asuka couldn't understand why Myne would go so far as to ruin her life. Before the trial, Asuka had only known the spoiled Princess for a day and did nothing wrong to Myne. She couldn't possibly be as petty as Mald over Asuka disbanding the party.
No, Asuka figured it was something even more inconsequential by comparison, given how selfish and spoiled that Princess was.
Myne also mentioned that people would eventually rally to Asuka's side because they admired her strength. If only it didn't seem like everyone in this country, bar a select few, was out to get her. Maybe then, she would care for gathering allies and mounting a revolt against Myne, her father, and the Three Heroes Church. But, such a thing would be unrealistic.
Even if she did somehow overthrow those idiots, it would be very unlikely that Queen Mirellia would be very happy with the Sword Hero taking over her country.
"I don't even know how to lead a country. Although, being titled Queen Asuka does sound nice…" Asuka shrugged with a small smirk.
Speaking of the Queen, Asuka also still needed to learn more about her.
Come to think of it, Asuka brought up the Queen after the trial, yet neither Motoyasu nor Itsuki thought to ask any questions about her. From what she observed, they still haven't.
"Myne-san probably never told Motoyasu-kun a thing about her mother. She instead manipulated him via acting like his… bed partner…" Asuka flushed, remembering that one instance where she heard them getting it on. Seriously, how did Motoyasu not connect the dots that his girlfriend lied to him?
Even more unsettling was Motoyasu's desire for the same thing with Asuka.
"Itsuki-kun might be faring a bit better with that pompous bucket head, not that it made any difference with that big jerk stroking his ego." Asuka frowned, "Then again, Mr. Bucket Head might have chosen to not say anything regarding the Queen to Itsuki-kun, thanks to his blatant sexism. Geez, why are they so troublesome?"
They must know about demi-human slavery by now. Not to mention how twisted the Three Heroes Church really was. Despite that, they weren't doing anything about these issues. Motoyasu was preoccupied with entertaining his harem, and Itsuki cared more about increasing his fame.
"It feels like neither of them cares about what's happening in this country. They're just having fun like it's a game." Asuka muttered. Even though she knew this, it was still hard to believe. It would take a brutal wake-up call to get them to wise up.
At any rate, they wouldn't be of any use when it came to information, especially about the Queen. Although, their strengthening methods for their respective weapons still lingered in the back of Asuka's mind.
The slave trader was a possible source, but giving in to his demands wasn't an option. Buying and owning a monster could be beneficial, but it would draw attention to herself.
Asuka had to maintain her presence in the shadows to gain useful information and foil any potential plans against her. But, without a viable lead and no one to turn to, she couldn't learn anything. For now, it was best to set the Queen's intentions aside.
"With all that mulling out of the way… it's time for something edible."
After going into hiding, buying food seemed to be a lot easier than before since she kept her identity a secret. Additionally, Asuka wouldn't be getting scornful looks from the townsfolk. She bought a couple of sandwiches and apples from the marketplace and stored them in the inventory space.
Asuka took one sandwich out and set aside another sandwich and apple a small blanket. After that, she began to eat the one she had in hand.
Behind her, a familiar face was stalking her. It was the demi-human boy with wolf ears. He knew it was dangerous to be so close to the Castle-Town, knowing that there were humans ready to attack him if they saw him, but seeing food sitting there was too much of an opportunity to pass up. He was starving, and he couldn't afford to wait.
Slowly, he crawled forward through the bushes. Seconds later, he was inches away from the sandwich and apple.
Asuka continued to eat without suspicion.
Seeing this, the wolf boy quickly grabbed the sandwich and apple and was about to make a break for it.
"Isn't it dangerous for you to be this close to the capital?"
The boy froze as soon as he heard the Sword Hero's voice. He wondered how she knew he was there and why she let him take her food away.
Having finished her first sandwich, Asuka stood up and turned to the demi-human boy in the bushes.
"You should go find a hiding spot somewhere. You can eat in peace then." Asuka suggested, "Or would you rather stay with me until you're finished?"
This confused the boy. He looked up at the girl in front of him as she pulled down her hood, revealing her face to him.
"Remember me?" Asuka asked.
The wolf boy did recognize Asuka as the girl who saved him from those bandits. However, something was different about her now. She didn't have that reassuring smile from before. Instead, it was a neutral frown, and her eyes were almost distant, although she still had some kindness in them.
It didn't matter, for she could still try to take advantage of him, even with these generous acts.
Growling defensively, the boy ducked into the bushes and scurried away.
Asuka didn't give chase. She knew he may have trust issues regarding humans, and it wasn't surprising. He was just like Naofumi in a way. They both suffered for things outside of their control and for the stupidest of reasons. But, there was nothing she could do. It was on them to decide if Asuka was trustworthy. She wasn't going to force them. If that meant Asuka had to wait until they deemed her such, then so be it.
[-Sunset-]
By the time the sunset, Naofumi and Raphtalia decided to call it a day after farming EXP. Asuka noticed this and did a quick search for them. She found them camping out near a river. It was just a little ways from the tree where she had her… episode.
Sitting on a high branch from a tall tree, Asuka quickly observed the pair from a distance.
Naofumi gained new abilities after feeding monster materials to his shield.
"I wonder what kind of shields he's gained since the trial…" Asuka curiously thought. Granted, his time on his own was undeniably rough, but he had to make use of it somehow.
It appeared that he amassed a Fishing Shield, which let him catch fish with ease. He and Raphtalia seemed to be competing to see who would catch the most fish. Naofumi won, which made Raphtalia frustrated.
It was cute seeing them interact like this. It also looked fun, and it made Asuka wish she could join in. But it wasn't meant to be.
Naofumi also seemed to have gotten shields that let him blend herbs together to make different medicines. He got those skills from the mush monsters. He managed to craft medicine and had Raphtalia drink, despite her reservations regarding the taste.
Hanzo, and her teacher at the academy Kiriya, taught her some things about mixing herbs for health-related issues, but Asuka never fully grasped them. Probably because she never got sick a day in her life.
Come to think of it, Asuka only had swords and skills related to combat, countering ailments or status effects, and stealth operations. It never occurred to her that she could get skills that let her blend herbs and ingredients for any mundane use. Perhaps Asuka would try it one day, but for now, it was best to focus on what she had at the moment. Besides, she was a decent chef on her own, so she would have no use for a sword that increased her ability to cook.
But, seeing as she had nothing else better to do, the former Shinobi decided it would beneficial to see how he did it. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from crafting items.
However, Asuka began to feel tired after a while. She decided to rest her eyes for a bit.
[-Castle: Malty's Room-]
"Ohh, you look so cute, Emerald-chan!" Motoyasu chimed as he gazed upon Emerald wearing a cute lime green dress. He recently bought it for her, per the Green Mage's request.
"Does it really suit me, Motoyasu-sama?" a blushing Emerald asked. Behind her, Lesty and a girl with blonde hair applauded the Green Mage's cuteness. Elena was absent today because she had family business to attend to. That was part of why they haven't gone out to exterminate the monster yet.
"Of course it does!" Motoyasu nodded as he wrapped his arm around Emerald, "Isn't that right, Lesty-chan, Rino-chan?"
"Yes indeed! You have excellent taste in fashion, Motoyasu-sama," said Lesty.
"Y-Yes! Excellent…!" said Rino, meekly. She recently joined the Spear Hero's Party during the week Asuka went missing. As such, Rino wasn't used to the dynamics of her new party.
"What do you think, Myne?"
As he turned to Myne, he could see that she wasn't paying attention. Her mind was elsewhere.
Myne put it aside briefly for her night of passion with the Spear Hero, but now she couldn't stop thinking about that maid from yesterday. The spoiled Princess could have sworn she saw that servant girl before, but she couldn't place her. Also, Myne hadn't seen any trace of her since that encounter yesterday. Normally, a mere servant wouldn't bother the spoiled Princess so much, but just thinking about that maid bothered her more than she cared to admit.
"What was her name…?" Myne muttered. She tried very hard to remember but just couldn't.
"Um, Myne?" uttered Motoyasu.
"What?!" Myne snapped at the Spear Hero.
"Uh, Emerald-chan's new dress… How does it look on her?" Motoyasu nervously asked. Emerald looked nervous as well. It took a lot to please Myne, and it was just mere luck the Green Mage's magical talents proved useful for combat and support.
Myne glanced at Emerald for about a second before turning up her nose, "It's ugly. Throw it in the garbage!"
"Eh?!" Emerald whined.
Unwilling to hear complaints, Myne stood up from her comfy couch and stared pointedly at Motoyasu, "More importantly, is Elena finished with her business yet, Motoyasu-sama?"
"Uh, well, I went to see her the day before yesterday, and she said she should be finished in the next two days. She's still appraising those weird items we found." Motoyasu answered.
"She'll be done by tomorrow then?" asked Myne.
"Yes, she will, Myne. You worry too much. That Giant Scorpion King monster isn't going anywhere." Motoyasu assured.
"Hmph!" Myne turned in a huff and walked to her private bath chamber.
"M-Myne?"
"I need a bath. Be quiet for a while." Myne said.
"Okay, whatever you say. Try not to take too long in there!" Motoyasu said, only to be met with silence.
Standing behind him was the blonde girl, "E-Excuse me… but, why are we going to hunt this Giant Scorpion King again?" asked the blonde girl.
"Huh? For the duel with Asuka-chan. Didn't we already tell you that, Rino-chan?"
"I know about the duel you and the Sword Hero are participating in. But, if your levels are far above hers, why do you need the Giant Scorpion King's ability for it?" Rino asked. She had experience as a small-time adventurer, and she was more than happy to join Motoyasu's party after he extended the invitation. However, Rino was somewhat skeptical of the Spear Hero's lax training methods. He relied mostly on Myne's instruction and suggestions to level up, gain skills, and upgrade the Legendary Spear.
On top of that, Rino was also put off by Motoyasu not allowing his party members to fight alongside him. He believed women were incapable of fighting, so he fought monsters by himself. And she had a feeling that this upcoming venture wouldn't be any different.
"Myne thinks Asuka-chan is going to be trouble for the duel. She said the skill will come in handy. Personally, I don't wanna use it, but Myne insists on it." said Motoyasu.
Rino wasn't so sure. From what she heard from the Adventurer's Guild, the Sword Hero could hold her own in a fight and was diligent in her training. The blonde swordswoman once thought of forming a party with the Sword Hero before the latter's departure. She hoped the rumor about Motoyasu and the Bow Hero causing the Sword Hero to leave was an exaggeration, but given the Spear Hero's outdated chivalry being less than endearing…
"I know you can beat her, Motoyasu-sama!" Lesty interjected, pushing Rino out of the way, "But if Myne is suggesting you use that skill, then I say you should take her advice. Isn't that right, Emerald?" Lesty asked the youngest member of the party.
"Y-Yes… I think so too!" Emerald said while sobbing comically. She very much liked the dress, so hearing it be called ugly hurt her feelings.
"Hehe, if you ladies are cheering me on, I'm sure I can win any battle! And I can certainly beat this monster with your full support!" Motoyasu bragged.
"That's the way, Motoyasu-sama!" Lesty chimed.
"Go, Motoyasu-sama!" Emerald cheered, though still sobbing comically.
"I-I'll do my best to help out, Motoyasu-sama!"
"Thanks, girls! You're the best!"
Meanwhile, Myne could hear every word outside as she bathed, and it was annoying.
Her private bath chamber was huge, as the built-in bathtub was about as big as a small swimming pool.
"So noisy… I can't even hear myself think," she grumbled. Myne began to stretch her arms while letting her breasts float halfway above the water. "At least I can enjoy this relaxing bath by myself. I can just forget my troubles for now…"
After bathing, Myne got out of the tub and covered herself with a towel.
"Still, I think it's about time we visit Elena tomorrow. We need to find that Giant Scorpion King fast. I can't afford my plans going south now." Myne said.
[-Later That Night-]
Alone and afraid, Asuka found herself running through the darkness. She had no idea how she got there or where she was going. She only knew that something was chasing her, and she had to get away before it could catch her.
Her vision was blurred by tears as the images of Asuka's dead friends pass by in a phantom white glow.
Ikaruga, Katsuragi, Yagyu, Hibari, Homura, and all the others from Hebijo. They were dead, all because Asuka was too weak to fight back and finish that monster off.
"GAAAOOOOOAAHHHHRRR!"
That dreaded howl. It belonged to only one entity.
Hellish flames erupted from the void and surrounded Asuka, trapping her and cutting off her escape.
From those flames emerged Orochi, the evil beast that was responsible for hers and her friends' deaths.
"O-Orochi…" Asuka uttered in panic. She drew her Legendary Small Sword, ready to fight for her life. But, there was one problem. It refused to switch to any other sword form. "What's going on? Why isn't it doing anything?!"
"A…ASUKA…" Orochi growled out as it crawled toward her ever so menacingly.
"G-Get back! You don't scare me!"
"How long do you intend to keep on like this?" a familiar voice echoed throughout the flame and void.
"I-Itsuki-kun…?!" Asuka exclaimed as a phantom image of Itsuki appeared beside her.
"I believe we're better off without her." another phantom of Itsuki sneered.
"Naofumi-san is guilty. You need to accept that."
The Sword Hero couldn't believe her eyes. More phantoms of Itsuki appeared, repeating spiteful words he said in the past. That wasn't all, as phantoms of Motoyasu started to appear.
"I'm gonna save you, Asuka-chan, no matter what it takes!" phantom Motoyasu declared.
"Don't you see you're not safe with him around?!" another phantom Motoyasu asked.
"I want you to rely on me!"
"Stop it…!"
Between Itsuki's arrogant belief in his superiority and Motoyasu's lecherous, Asuka had no idea which she hated more. It didn't help that they looked down on her for her supposed inexperience in this game world, despite Asuka's warning about how dangerous it truly was.
It wasn't long before other phantoms began to appear from the smoke of the flames, circling the trembling Asuka.
"You should be grateful that we revealed the Shield Hero's true vile nature before he could prey upon you and sully your honor."
"You truly are a Fake Hero if you're even going so far as stand up for wretched demi-humans, on top of supporting the criminal Shield Hero."
"Fake Hero!"
"How dare she insult our faith?!"
"Pitying demi-humans and the Shield Hero… what's wrong with her?!
"She's a disgrace to the Three Heroes!"
"Stop it!" Asuka shouted as her entire body trembled from anger and anguish. She heard all these words before. Asuka thought she had gotten used to them by now, but it seemed as though she was fooling herself. She did nothing wrong, and yet they hold everything against her. The selfishness and malice was unfathomable.
The worst out of all them appeared right in front of her, obscuring Orochi. Her own antithesis in Malty S Melromarc.
"Poor little Sword Bimbo." the phantom of Malty sneered. Unlike the others, who were nearly mindless aberrations, she seemed to be the most lifelike, and it showed, "You're all alone in this world. No one will help you. No one will give you the time of day. No one will acknowledge you. Why bother struggling? You know fighting against us is pointless."
"It isn't pointless! I'll keep fighting because it's been my duty to fight people like you!" Asuka retorted to the phantom image of the vile woman. That's right. It was her duty to weed out true evil, just like Myne.
She showed no remorse or hesitation in her evil actions. She deserved no redemption.
"Try as much as you want. It won't make any difference. You know the end result will be this…" phantom Malty turned and pointed to Orochi.
As if on command, the monstrous Yoma reared its head back and lunged forward to spew dark flames from its mouth directly toward Asuka, who could only stand and wait in terrible anticipation of her demise. Once again, her body would be scorched by the same fires and pain that took away her friends.
"Aghh!" Asuka finally awoke from her nightmare. She was sweating. Her breath was erratic, and her body trembled anxiously.
She was still up in the tree, out of sight. She realized she must have fallen asleep at some point. Nightfall had finally set.
"These nightmares are getting worse…" Asuka groaned in apprehension. Orochi wasn't just appearing in them anymore. It seemed all of Melromarc's malice was getting to her. Ever since the trial, the people of this country have done nothing short of giving her the stink eye, whispering insults, and outright cursing her for her differing beliefs and sympathies. Why was it like this? Were they even aware of the impending threat they specifically summoned the Four Cardinal Heroes for? What sense did it make to have two Cardinal Heroes face hate and prejudice while actively handicapping one of them?
Motoyasu and Itsuki were one thing, but having an entire country's worth of people hating your guts for the pettiest and downright toxic reasons was harder to swallow.
If that were the case, why should she bother protecting them from the Waves of Catastrophe and their own corruption? They deserved whatever fate befell them if they were this ungrateful.
"NOOOOOO!"
Asuka heard the loud cry from Raphtalia. The Shinobi quickly turned to the campsite of Naofumi and Raphtalia. It would appear Asuka wasn't the only one suffering from nightmares. She heard the slave trader mention it to Naofumi back at the tent. Were they this severe that she would have panic attacks?
"What's wrong, Raphtalia?!"
"Mother, Father! Don't leave me! Save me!" Raphtalia wailed while clinging to Naofumi, "They're dead! They're DEAD!"
"It's okay! I'm right here! You're safe!"
Luckily for her, Raphtalia had Naofumi to comfort her as she was wailing about.
Unfortunately, her cries caught the attention of monsters nearby. Luckily, they were just balloon monsters, but Naofumi didn't have the strength to defend him and his slave. It was unlikely they could hurt him because of his high defense stats. She knew this because she discreetly snuck peeks at Naofumi's and the others' stat screens when they were first exploring their HUBS. Raphtalia was a different story. She was understandably hesitant to attack a balloon, despite it being held down by her master. The bites will definitely hurt if they had the opportunity.
Asuka had to act fast if she was going to help them, and she hoped she could do so without being seen. Thanks to her training, it was possible. It also helped that there was plenty of cover from the shadows. For a Shinobi, the shadows were their greatest ally. Quickly and silently, the former Shinobi jumped down from her hiding spot, and with swift un-seeable movements, she sliced the balloons up as they were making their way through the bushes.
Asuka popped every single one of them with no trouble and was successfully unseen.
"Huh?" Naofumi uttered in confusion. He still held Raphtalia close.
Before he could see her, Asuka ducked behind a nearby tree.
"Phew… that was close…" Asuka whispered to herself."
"Mother… father…! Rifana-chan…!" Raphtalia mumbled while sobbing.
Asuka heard Raphtalia's quiet sobs and felt empathy for her. She just said they were dead, and that likely accounted for Rifana, who was likely a friend of hers.
"She's the same as me." Asuka thought, "We're both alone, missing friends and family."
Asuka began to think about the friends she lost and the family left behind. How she and Raphtalia were unwilling ripped away from a life they once knew and were made to suffer from things outside of their control, and it kept them up at night.
If she was crying so loudly, Raphtalia must have had a front-row seat of her parents' and Rifana's deaths; just like how Asuka was forced to watch her friends die in the fight against Orochi. The trauma of such a thing wasn't so easily forgotten if the nightmares could attest.
There was one difference, however. Raphtalia had her master, Naofumi. He comforted Raphtalia while she cried without hesitation.
This made Asuka envious. She wished she had someone to comfort her when she felt alone and frightened after she had nightmares.
Either way, this was the only time she would help them for the time being.
If there was one comfort she could take away, it was being reminded of her duty. Asuka wanted to protect the innocent, no matter who it was. Even if they didn't deserve saving, she would do her duty as both a Good Shinobi and the Cardinal Sword Hero.
And perhaps, her duty right now was to watch over Naofumi and Raphtalia for a while longer.
[-Morning-]
Morning finally came for the campsite. Naofumi was packing their belongings, including the medicines he crafted. Meanwhile, Raphtalia was fast asleep. After calming down, she fell back to sleep without any trouble.
As for Asuka, she was just waking up herself. After a quick stretch, she peered over to the campsite and saw Naofumi doing something peculiar. He was looking at Raphtalia. Specifically, her fluffy-looking raccoon ears.
He was about to reach for them, only to stop when Raphtalia was about to wake up. He pulled his arm away as she stirred awake.
"Was he trying to pet them?" Asuka wondered. It was almost cute watching them. Once again, the Sword Hero felt envious. Even though it was through slavery, Naofumi found someone to keep him company. Asuka had no one but herself. The feeling of loneliness crept back up again.
"U-Um… I'm sorry for… for l-last night…" Raphtalia said to her master nervously.
"Don't worry about it. We'll work on those nightmares." Naofumi replied.
The raccoon girl seemed surprised that he didn't mind. She fully expected her master to punish her for disturbing him.
"C'mon. We're heading back into town. I wanna make some money from the medicine I made." Naofumi said as he began walking.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Raphtalia replied as she followed him.
"He's going to sell that medicine? He must be going to the local apothecary." Asuka thought. She visited the apothecary's shop a few times, before and after she disappeared. He always conducted himself professionally, seeing as he never cared about her reputation. Asuka even did a job for him once, and he paid exceptionally well.
Once again, as discreetly as possible, Asuka followed Naofumi and Raphtalia until they reached the apothecary's shop. She waited in an alley entrance while watching Naofumi ordering Raphtalia to wait outside while he does business, to which she complied.
Asuka wasn't impressed by Naofumi's decision to leave Raphtalia alone outside. She could get picked on for being a demi-human. However, Asuka couldn't risk getting seen by Naofumi, which would lead to an awkward reunion.
She decided to keep watch over Raphtalia, who obediently stayed close. Asuka realized that she was on a timetable, knowing that Motoyasu's party could leave any moment for the Giant Scorpion King. But, Raphtalia's well-being was the Shinobi's top priority right now.
"The fuck… a demi-human?!"
"Don't get any closer, you filth!"
And her concerns were not unfounded as two men barked at Raphtalia when she innocently approached them. They talked about Asuka's disappearance from the Adventurer's Guild, which led to mentioning the Shield Hero. This got Raphtalia curious, and she wanted to ask them questions, only to be cruelly rebuffed. From this, Asuka gauged that Naofumi hadn't told her anything about his identity yet.
Whatever reason it may be, Asuka knew she had to step in. She made sure to keep her face hidden beneath her hood.
She briefly spoke with the brutes, both of whom showed no shame in spouting racist remarks about Raphtalia. This disgusted Asuka to the point where she deliberately provoked them and manhandled them without breaking a sweat. She made sure not to physically harm them, despite deep down wanting to.
But, Asuka had more than enough moral restraint to keep from causing serious damage. Instead, she settled for scaring them off.
"Get out of my sight, you scum..." Asuka growled, prompting the two men to flee in terror. Soon after, she turned to Raphtalia, who was looking up at her with awe.
"Are you alright?" the older girl asked as she took down her hood and revealed her face. She figured it was alright to show her face to Raphtalia, wanting to make sure the raccoon girl knew not every human hated her.
"Y-Yes…!" Raphtalia squeaked.
"That's a relief." Asuka sighed. "It's probably best to leave now. I can't afford to let Naofumi-kun or anyone else I know see me."
Asuka was about to leave, but Raphtalia called out to her, "U-Um! Thank you for… w-what you did…"
Asuka was a bit stunned to hear those words. She stopped in her tracks.
"That's a first… a genuine thank you… If only I could feel good about it…" Asuka thought bitterly.
"… Don't mention it. I only did it because I felt like it." Asuka said with her back turned, "And it's not like I can help you any further than that."
"Huh?"
"You're a demi-human, so you have to be someone's slave, right?" Asuka said, to the shock of Raphtalia. She immediately realized how harsh that statement sounded. Maybe it was the grim reality that she couldn't help any of the demi-humans in their miserable situation sinking in, causing her to feel more cynical. Maybe it was partly due to the envious feelings she has had since yesterday. Either way, Asuka knew it was wrong to say it.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." the Sword Hero said as she turned back around with sympathetic eyes.
Thankfully, Raphtalia didn't seem to hold it against her, seeing as she meekly shook her head. Instead, there was something else she wanted to ask.
"U-Um… c-can I ask you a q-question…?" Raphtalia nervously asked.
"You wanted to know about the Shield Hero, right?" Asuka asked. She knew demi-humans worshipped the Shield Hero, so it would stand to reason that even Raphtalia would be a fan of him. Asuka found it somewhat ironic that the little girl had no idea her master was the Cardinal Hero the demi-humans worshipped.
"D-Do you know him?!"
Of course, Asuka knew she couldn't answer that question without revealing her own identity. If things were different, they all could have been friends. Maybe they still could. But not while Naofumi still hated her for failing to save him.
"I'm sorry, but it's not my place to say. I'm afraid you're on your own."
"B-But, why…?"
"Because, once you do learn who he is, you have to decide for yourself whether or not you want to fight. Even if it's scary and there's no hope, you need to keep fighting. That's the only way you'll survive in this world!"
While this speech was intended to encourage Raphtalia, Asuka couldn't help but feel a part of herself needed these words as well. This was a grim world they were living in, but the only way to survive was to keep fighting. That was what she knew, and it was something Asuka had to impart onto Raphtalia if she wanted to survive.
Asuka could see that her words had some effect. The Sword Hero hoped it helped Raphtalia feel better about her situation.
"Raphtalia!" Naofumi's voice called. His business with the apothecary was likely concluded.
"It's time to go. Goodbye for now, Naofumi-kun." Asuka thought. She waited until Raphtalia took her eyes off the former Shinobi to make her exit before being seen.
She ducked into the alley and jumped up to the rooftop. From there, she watched as Naofumi and Raphtalia went on their way.
As proud of herself as she was for defending Raphtalia, Asuka knew there was a better, non-violent to handle it. Unfortunately, reasoning with the deplorable people of this country was a dubious endeavor. The teachings of the Three Heroes Church were so deeply rooted in their collective minds that changing them might be impossible. No, it wasn't just the Church's teachings solely to blame. The wars between Melromarc and Siltvelt played a role in this animosity as well.
Queen Mirellia must know this, and that was why she was intent on mending relations between the countries. That demi-human village under her protection was likely the first step until the First Wave of Catastrophe hit, and the corrupt members of her family took advantage of her absence to destroy what she was working to achieve. Now, the Queen was out of the country, and her damnable husband and daughter could do as they pleased while she was away. Turning down that village and framing Naofumi were the first.
And now, they were cooking up more insidious plans. Asuka wasn't going to let any of it happen.
"If Queen Mirellia is a good person like I hope she is, then it's up to me right the wrongs of her family. As a Cardinal Hero, I have to protect innocent people. And as a Good Shinobi, I won't let their injustices continue any longer. And the first step to correcting their injustice is to foil their plans for the Sacred Duel. That also means I need to find out more about the Scorpion King. The best place to look would be Elena-san's place."
According to Motoyasu, Elena had gathered info on the Giant Scorpion King. She was probably the one who found out where the monster lived. It was the best place to start looking for clues on its location.
Having tailed Elena once, Asuka found her way to the Haven's estate in Castle-Town. It was a needlessly huge and fancy-looking house. As expected from a noble family from a medieval country.
Before she could get in, she spotted Motoyasu and Myne being greeted at the front door by Elena herself. The Sword Hero hid behind the front gate, watching them as all three entered the estate.
Asuka saw an opportunity to get more information from the Spear Hero's party and she wasn't going to waste it.
"Camouflage!" Asuka whispered as she switched sword forms and blended into her surroundings. She 100% mastered the Camouflage skill some time ago, so she can now use it at any time.
Now rendered invisible, Asuka shiftily jumped over the gate and sped past the various bushes and statues on the front lawn. She stopped at the wall beside the front door.
Using Enhanced Scent Detection, Asuka tracked the three as they moved to an upper floor above the ground floor. They eventually stopped at a room at the far end of the left side of the estate. There was a balcony in that area, which meant that was Elena's room.
Knowing this, the still camouflaged Asuka scaled the outer wall until she reached the balcony. Without making a sound, she climbed up the balcony and landed safely on the platform's floor.
"Really, you both didn't need to come all this way." Elena's voice said.
"I know, but Myne was getting impatient." Motoyasu's voice replied.
"Looks like I didn't miss anything." Asuka thought. She leaned against the door frame leading into Elena's room and peered her head through the window, intent on listening in.
"Of course, I'm impatient! You're taking forever with studying those stupid items we found!" Myne groaned.
"Studying? Is that why she said they'd be leaving in a few days? They were waiting on their friend?" Asuka asked herself. Well, it was a stroke of luck for her that they couldn't leave while Elena was researching some items. If the former Shinobi had to guess, it might have something to do with her parents.
"I know, and I'm sorry, Myne. We've never seen anything quite like those items before. My father thinks they might be useful for the Three Heroes, so he wants me to study them carefully. But, I think it's a waste of time. We're better off selling." Elena explained. Her father was militaristic and a major fanboy of the Cardinal Hero. This was part of why living with her parents was stressful for Elena and she preferred staying at the castle.
"I don't know if they'll be useful for me. I can't touch them because they're a different weapon than my spear," said Motoyasu.
This caught Asuka's attention. They found weapons that Motoyasu couldn't touch. Naturally, it can be assumed they were different kinds of weapons from spears, as Motoyasu could only touch spears due to the rules put in place for the Legendary Weapons.
"How much do you think they're worth, anyway?" asked the Spear Hero.
"That strange-looking knife looks like it has seen better days. It's probably worth a couple of Bronze coins at best. As for the foreign-looking long sword, I'd say it's worth more than a couple of hundred gold. I've never seen just a sword of that quality before."
"A worn-out knife and a foreign sword…?" Asuka muttered to herself. For some reason, this made her curious. But, her curiosity would have to be put on hold, for Myne's impatience was reaching its zenith.
"Who cares?! What I want to know is where you're keeping the map for the Giant Scorpion King's lair!" Myne shouted.
"R-Relax, Myne! It's safe in my room. I'm carrying the map with me at all times to ensure nothing happens to it." Elena answered hastily.
"Good. At least I know I can rely on you to keep the map safe."
Asuka grimaced. She had a feeling that if there was a map leading to the Giant Scorpion King, someone had to keep it somewhere safe, where only members of Motoyasu's party could have access to it. It was just a matter of swiping it from under their noses once the former Shinobi pinpointed its location. Surprisingly, they were good at keeping secrets, so it was tough to find out where a possible map would be. Now she knew there was a map, and the one who seemed to be the most intelligent of the Spear Hero's party was in possession of it.
"Geez, Myne, there's no need to get so upset. Why are you in such a hurry?" Motoyasu asked.
"Something's been bothering me since the other day. I don't want to leave anything to chance. We should set out to Callma Village as soon as possible." Myne urged.
"Oh great. If they decide to leave now, it could complicate things. At least I know about that monster is somewhere around this Callma Village place." Asuka thought in dismay. There was one problem. She didn't know where that village was located. She would have if she had the chance to study the geography of Melromarc. That would require reading the country's language, which she lacked the ability.
The only way Asuka would be able to get there was by tailing Motoyasu's party.
"If you say so, Myne. We'll get girls together and set out in the morning."
"No! We need to leave, NOW!" Myne yelled before turning to Elena, "Why are you standing there?! Get the map ready!"
"Y-Yes, right away, Myne!" Elena stuttered and did as ordered.
Soon after, Myne grinned with sadistic anticipation. She would settle for no less than a perfect victory. She would ensure that the Sword Bimbo wouldn't gain any advantage or support.
Her discussion to quit the Adventurer's Guild was a happy accident, but that only meant the Sword Bimbo had nowhere to go and no way to get any stronger. She was just like the Shield Hero in this way. But, very soon, that brat will be in an even worse place than poverty. Myne would make the Sword Bimbo into her slave, and there wasn't anything that would stop her.
"Just you wait, Sword Bimbo. I'll make sure your life is a living hell once you become my slave. No one tries to outshine me in beauty and popularity! Especially not with those ridiculous tits!" Myne thought before breaking into a fit of laughter, "Ohohoho!"
However, she forgot that Motoyasu was in the room.
"You look like you're in a good mood, Myne," Motoyasu said.
"O-Oh, I was just excited to finally get going on this trip, Motoyasu-sama!"
"I know! I just wish it was something a little more fun. Especially at Asuka-chan expense." Motoyasu grimaced.
"Ugh..." Myne groaned, understandably annoyed by Motoyasu's consideration for the Sword Bimbo.
"I mean, yeah, I wanna win and save her, but do I really need to use that monster's skill to do that? My levels are way higher than hers."
"I assure you, Motoyasu-sama, that the skill is vital to your victory in the duel," Myne answered, "Just follow my advice, and you'll be fine."
"Okay, if you insist, Myne. I trust you."
"I knew you would see reason, Motoyasu-sama!" Myne hugged Motoyasu tightly, pressing her body against his.
"And once this nonsense is over, Asuka-chan will become our friend, and we can finally have fun together like we should have!" Motoyasu said with anticipation, much to Myne's annoyance.
By the time the conversation was finished, Asuka had already left her hiding spot.
Having escaped the Haven family's front gate, Asuka hid in a nearby alleyway, waiting for Motoyasu, Myne, and Elena to come out. She deactivated her Camoflouge skill as she hid.
As she waited, Asuka mulled over what she heard from the trio.
"Looks like I'll have to follow Motoyasu-kun and his party to that monster in Callma Village. I won't get another chance if I leave them be. I just need to bid my time and wait for an opportunity to steal the map from them." Asuka whispered to herself, "As for those items they were talking about… I can't help being curious. I wanna know more about them, but the Giant Scorpion King comes first."
As Asuka was preparing to follow the three, her Enhanced Scent Detection skill picked up a new scent. It was familiar, but there were signs of it being disguised as well. Every so often, this presence would make itself known, even while carefully hidden.
Asuka knew who this was but chose not to greet them, for their role was to keep their distance and monitor her silently. They were aware of her investigation. It would make life easier to talk with that person and exchange information, but there were likely still pursuers from the church after Asuka, so she felt it best to keep things as they were.
Moments later, Asuka spotted Motoyasu and his two female companions exiting the Haven's Estate and making their way back to the castle to prepare for their journey to find the Giant Scorpion King.
The former Shinobi was following close behind them.
It didn't take long for Motoyasu to gather the rest of his party. It appeared he had another newcomer as well.
New party members for the Spear Hero appear as fast as old party members disappear if the rumors were to go by. There hadn't been any disappearing acts this past week as far as Asuka was aware, but it was safe to assume that this newcomer may be in danger as well. Asuka realized she may have to watch how for Myne's antics just in case.
It was off to dangerous new territory from here. Whether Asuka is ready for it remains to be seen.
[-Unknown-]
The three-headed beast's shadow loomed over the soil of the wilderness. It had just dispatched its latest kill with ease.
Ever since arriving in this world, the three-headed dog, better known as Cerberus, has had no challenge hunting prey and satisfying its hunger for blood.
Unlike most monsters that lived by instinct, Cerberus lived by two ironclad rules: Might makes right and satisfying bloodlust.
As soon as Cerberus arrived in this world, it asserted its dominance in as grizzly a fashion as it could manage. None of the humans could stand up to it, and since it was free to roam these lands, it was free to dispatch any rivals and claim these lands as its territory.
Or better yet, sink its fangs into a foolish hunter who thought they were worth their salt when in reality, they were only worthy of being prey.
As to when or where its next challenger would come, it didn't matter. Cerberus was patient and confident in its own strength. Victory went only to the strong.
Lyall the Werewolf: Uh oh, SpaghettiOs! It looks like Asuka may have to tangle with a familiar beast. I was discussing Cerberus, the First Wave Boss with my friend bloodyredrose1994 about whether or not to include it in the story. In canon, it was never explained what happened to it, so presumably, this beast is still roaming around somewhere. And, I figured it would make perfect sense to make Cerberus an adversary for Asuka to fight. But, that's a story for another time. I'm thinking of putting Naofumi and Raphtalia back in the spotlight for a while.
I feel like I have a better vision in mind for this story than before, which is why it might take longer for chapters to come out.
Let's hope 2022 sees a brighter future, especially if COVID and its variants are finally gone.