Rise of the Sword and the Shield Chapter 011: Ending the Nightmare
Lyall the Werewolf: Okay, this took quite a while. I got distracted with some stuff, and I haven't been unable focus on this story. Don't worry; it has nothing to do with the drama between Russia and Ukraine. I just hope it gets resolved sooner rather than later.
To answer certain questions about how Asuka could make some kind of accident that results in Myne's death: that's actually not a desirable outcome. Sure, Asuka could assassinate Myne, but people would notice that. Even if she is the vilest piece of pig excrement known to man, Myne is still a Princess with some influence. Even if Asuka covered her tracks, they likely would still suspect she killed the First Princess of Melromarc, given their rivalry is more or less well known by this point. In short, that would draw attention to herself. Asuka is trying to keep as low a profile as possible. If she is to make any move against her foes, Asuka has to play it safe for now and make sure it's foolproof.
I mean, like DarkVsLight346 said in his review on Ch.6, if it was Homura, Miyabi, or even Haruka in Asuka's position, things would poorly for those involved, especially for Myne.
Anyway, this is once again an adapted chapter from the Shield Hero, with minor deviations.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
After their encounter with the Usapil, Naofumi and Raphtalia returned to Erhard's shop for a new weapon. The knife was cheap and unpolished, so it was inevitable that it would break.
"So, the time has come to give the little missy a real weapon," Erhard smirked. He gave Raphtalia an iron-short sword and hide armor to hide onto her clothes. The short sword was pre-owned but sturdier compared to the knife.
"That's the best you're giving me?" asked Naofumi.
"I'm giving the best lowest price affordable. Otherwise, you'd sic your balloons at me, right?" Erhard said.
"You know me too well," Naofumi smirked, pleased that his reputation among the merchant was spreading.
"I can already tell. You've got a sense for business, unlike the other Heroes." Erhard chuckled.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"That's not all." Erhard handed Naofumi a small rectangular stone.
"What's this?" Naofumi asked.
"It's a whetstone. Whetstones are used to sharpen and maintain weapons. The sword I gave you doesn't have the coating applied to it like the knife, so use it if you wanna keep your sword in good shape." the old blacksmith explained.
"I can't wield, let alone hold other weapons besides my shield," said Naofumi. Even if he tried to sharpen the short sword, the restriction placed on him would make it impossible to touch the sword. And Raphtalia obviously wouldn't know the first thing about how to use a whetstone.
"Right, the weapon restriction… But, I'm sure you'll find a creative way to use it," said Erhard.
"Creative, huh…" Naofumi looked at his Small Shield. He knew that absorbing materials from monsters and plants unlocked new shield forms. But, he hadn't absorbed a mundane inanimate object before. Well, there was nothing to lose by trying. Besides, Naofumi's shield was reacting to it, so it must mean that it was okay to absorb it. And so, Naofumi absorbed the whetstone into the shield, and voila, he unlocked a new shield.
|Unlocked: Sharpening Shield|
Equip Bonus: Sharpening 1
Passive Skill: Automatic Sharpening (8 hours), Consumption (large)
This new shield was larger in comparison to the Small Shield. It resembled a large white stone covered in etched grooves. Some holes were small, while others were big.
Naofumi was surprised to see the Passive Skill. He had only absorbed plants and monster parts before, but they never gave him one of these skills before. Apparently, this Sharpening Shield could automatically sharpen any weapons stored in it, but it would take up to 8 hours until it was complete.
While Raphtalia gazed in awe, Erhard was flabbergasted.
"Whoa! What the hell was that?!" Erhard yelled.
"Huh? What's your problem, old man?" asked Naofumi.
"That shield! Where the hell did that thing come from?"
"You've seen it before. It's the Legendary Shield!"
"I've never seen a shield like this before!"
"That's because it was a Small Shield a minute ago."
"Then why does it look like a giant whetstone now?!"
Naofumi looked at the blacksmith, confused.
"That's because I absorbed the whetstone!" Naofumi replied. He paused upon realizing something, "Hold on, are you saying you don't know how the Legendary Weapons work?"
Erhard crossed his chiseled arms and sighed, "I heard the Legendary Weapons were imbued with mysterious powers. Guess this is one of 'em."
"You mean you've talked to the others?"
"Only with the Sword Lass before she up and vanished. Turns out, you can copy weapons similar to the Legendary Weapon you're equipped with. This allows you to gain new skills to boot. Of course, we discovered this feature by complete accident." Erhard explained with a frown, bitter at the memory.
"I can copy similar weapons… or in my case, other shields?" Naofumi asked as he gazed at the Sharpening Shield.
"You didn't know that?" asked Erhard. He figured the Sword Lass would have shared this with him and the others by now, assuming they didn't already know.
"It's not like I ever talked to the other Heroes. I've only been absorbing pieces from monsters and plants," said Naofumi. He thought that they should talk about these things in advance. Too bad the trial happened, and they had his distrust. The other Heroes must be keeping their abilities under wraps. They were most likely being efficient that way. Of course, he has heard about Asuka's incredible fighting skills, but anything else besides being a "Fake Hero" wasn't well known. Although, there was that prank she apparently pulled on Myne and her flunkies. They totally deserve that.
Still, during that chase, a lot of eyewitnesses said Asuka pulled off impressive maneuvers while avoiding them, like running on walks or jumping over their heads.
And the fact that she vanished without so much as a trace… "Almost makes think she's a ninja or something…"
Anyway, the Shield Hero's gaze shifted to the shields in the shop. They were just sitting there, and some of them looked kind of rare. They might give him some useful abilities if he copied them.
"Don't get any funny ideas! You're gonna have to pay first before you start copying!" Erhard glowered.
"I get it! When I get some more cash, I think about it." Naofumi snapped back, "Speaking of which, I was wondering if there was any place we could go to earn cash quick with the equipment we've got."
"Well, there is a village on the other side of the forest. It's not too far from the capital. It's called Lute. The folks over there are a quaint bunch, so you shouldn't run into any trouble there." Erhard answered.
"I see. Thanks for the heads up." Naofumi said as he deactivated the Sharpening Shield.
"Before you go, I should warn you about something," said Erhard.
"About what exactly?"
"The Bow Hero. Word on the street is he's been looking into the Sword Lass' disappearance. Looks like he's trying to find her."
"Huh?"
"C'mon, don't tell me you haven't heard about the King and Pope giving the Spear and Bow guys a tongue lashing over what happened at the guild and demanding answers to why the Sword Lass disappeared. I figured you'd be happier to hear about that." Erhard chuckled.
Actually, Naofumi did hear about that. And while he personally wished he was there to see those two get yelled at, the Shield Hero already decided it wasn't any of his business what the other three were doing or what kind of trouble they got into.
"What's that got to do with it?" asked Naofumi.
"I reckon after he got told off, the Bow Hero wants to find her so he can apologize for being an asshole or something. I heard from some buddies of mine at the guild that they didn't get along." Erhard shrugged.
It wouldn't have surprised Naofumi that Motoyasu and Itsuki still thought this was some game world. Naofumi only learned the hard way that this world was as real as his homeworld. Asuka must have discovered how difficult surviving here really was as well. Sadly, the warning she tried to impart to those bastards fell on deaf ears. And the worst part? She was all alone now. Not that Naofumi actually cared, mind you.
"And what about Motoyasu? I figured he'd be itching to start looking for Asuka."
"I think he and his party left three days ago on some adventure. I don't know the details on that."
"Tch… I'm sure he's having a blast with those sluts. Especially that woman…" Naofumi scowled. They'd have to be the same as her if they hung around that idiot. No, it didn't matter if they crawled into bed with Motoyasu. All women were the same as Myne deep down.
"E-Excuse me…" Raphtalia spoke up to Naofumi, "A-Are you and the other Heroes not getting along…?"
"Didn't I tell you that's none of your business?" Naofumi scolded Raphtalia, who flinched.
"Hey, Kid, relax. I'm sure she's just curious." Erhard said. The raccoon girl looked at the old guy for an answer.
"Tch…"
"Well… you could say they had a bit of a falling out," answered Erhard to Raphtalia. The blacksmith assumed Naofumi had at least told Raphtalia about his identity, but she wasn't aware of the false charges placed on him by the King and his spoiled princess. If the kid preferred it that way, then Erhard had no right to spill the beans on it. He could at least imply what's going on and let her figure it out.
"Oh… b-but, if I had a falling out with my friends, I-I'd wanna make up with them somehow…" Raphtalia replied.
"Make up… with them? Yeah, that'll be the day." Naofumi thought. Those three were never his friends as far as the Shield Hero was concerned. Motoyasu and Itsuki conspired against him and ruined what was supposed to be a fun experience. And Asuka… she failed so miserably, and now look where she was. And yet, Naofumi couldn't bring himself to hate her as he did the others. Every woman in his country reminded him of Myne. That included Asuka. At least it should if he didn't have this nagging feeling that it would be a huge mistake to hate Asuka for something out of her control.
As Naofumi was lost in his thoughts, the shop's front door opened. He and Raphtalia turned to the entrance, and to his utter shock, it was Itsuki, flanked by two members of his party, Mald and Welt.
"Oh, this is a surprise. I never thought I'd see you here, Naofumi-san." Itsuki remarked.
Naofumi did nothing but scowled at the Bow Hero and his cohorts. Meanwhile, Mald only gave a smug sneer, and Welt could only manage a nervous bow of his head to the Shield Hero.
"Don't look so guarded. My business today is with the proprietor of this shop," said Itsuki as he turned to Erhard.
"Oh, and what does the esteemed Bow Hero want here?" Erhard asked.
"I apologize for the sudden visit," Itsuki said with a pleasant smile.
He nonchalantly walked passed Naofumi and to the counter to speak with Erhard. Raphtalia hid behind her master, unsure of what was going on. She had never seen the other Cardinal Heroes before, so she assumed they would be nicer than her master. But, something wasn't right about the Bow Hero.
"I'm sure you're aware of Asuka-san's disappearance, correct?" asked Itsuki to the blacksmith.
"It's the hottest topic around at the moment," Erhard answered.
"Then, that makes things easier." Itsuki nodded, "I believe Asuka-san has visited this place several times before her disappearance. I thought you might have some insight as to her whereabouts."
"I'm afraid you're out of luck. Sure, she visited my shop sometimes, but the Sword Lass didn't always tell me what she was up to. In fact, last I saw of her was over a week ago, same as you."
"I see. That's unfortunate."
Naofumi looked at Itsuki with curiosity. At first, he didn't really care for what Itsuki was up to. But, now he was starting to get interested for some reason.
"Hey, Itsuki, what're you hoping to gain from finding Asuka?" Naofumi asked.
"Show some respect, Shield Hero!" Mald snapped, "A lowly cur like you has no right to speak so casually to Itsuki-sama!"
"Huh?!" Naofumi growled at Mald.
"It's alright, Mald-san. Regardless of his deeds, Naofumi-san and I were formal comrades. I don't mind speaking with him." Itsuki said as he turned to face Naofumi.
"I see. My apologies, Itsuki-sama." Mald bowed to his leader.
"Deeds…?" Raphtalia wondered.
"Anyway, in case you weren't aware, Asuka-san has gone missing due to some… disagreements we had at the Adventurer's Guild. Motoyasu-san is mostly to blame, but I fear she may believe that I hold her in contempt. That isn't true in the slightest." Itsuki explained.
"Sure it isn't…" Naofumi thought. He saw right through the lie. Itsuki must have done something to piss Asuka off if she decided to leave the guild.
"My intention is to bring her back to the guild so I can clear up the misunderstanding and apologize for any ill feelings I may have caused her," Itsuki said with a smile.
"Funny… I haven't seen him in weeks, and somehow I can only see a smug as hell bastard right in front of me."
"You know, I have a few buddies in the Adventurer's Guild." Erhard spoke up, "According to them, you and the Spear Guy laughed at the Lass when she told you this world is really dangerous."
Itsuki stiffened up hearing that.
"The Sword Lass had something of a growing fan base in the guild, so I imagine they didn't take too kindly to two lazy bums laughing her out of the building. I guess the atmosphere at the guild really changed after all that. The King and Pope scolding you probably didn't help matters either." Erhard said with a playful grin.
Naofumi could see the angry scowl on Itsuki's face as the old blacksmith spoke. The Shield Hero understood what Itsuki's intentions were now. Itsuki was only going out of his way to find Asuka and bring her back so his bruised ego could be fixed.
Naofumi and Erhard couldn't be more right actually. Since Asuka left the guild, not many of the adventurers and receptionists were willing to exchange pleasantries with him like before. Some had even given him and Motoyasu the stink eye over what happened. He realized why this was. Asuka's hardworking nature won them over. Knowing that the members of the guild disliked him for his behavior toward her added an extra of wounded pride. Motoyasu seemed to be ignoring it and remained hopeful that Asuka would return as if nothing happened, but Itsuki couldn't stand it. But, instead of complaining about it, he figured he could fix his image by getting Asuka to return to the guild and set everything straight. If only she wasn't so hard to find. If he had a better ability, he'd find her easily. Accuracy was only good with using projectiles. But, something like Clairvoyance could help Itsuki locate her with ease.
"Hey, watch your tone, commoner!" Mald yelled, "If you don't have anything useful to say, don't say anything at all!"
"I'm just stating what I heard. I hope that's not a problem." Erhard said calmly.
"No, it's no problem at all." Itsuki replied to Erhard, "You have a right to your opinions. But, you have one fact wrong. I didn't intend for things to happen the way they did. Asuka-san is simply blowing things out of proportion,"
His angry face was gone, replaced with the ever pleasant smile he usually wore.
"Is that so? Well, pardon me for not getting the facts straight," Erhard didn't show it, but he didn't appreciate the Bow Hero's attempt at making himself look like the victim.
"It's fine, so long you understand." Itsuki nodded, "At any rate, our business here is concluded. I'll be taking my leave now,"
"Yeah, I'm sure you're busier than I am." said a deadpan Erhard.
"Again, I apologize for the sudden visit," Itsuki said with a curt bow and turned on his heel. However, he still had something to say to Naofumi. "By the way, Naofumi-san. I couldn't help noticing that girl behind you… judging by her animal features, she's a demi-human, correct?"
Naofumi didn't answer him, while Raphtalia shrank further behind her master. Instinctively, his hand moved back protectively to her.
"Mald-san informed me of the detestable practice of demi-human slavery. I can only assume that she's your slave as well?"
"What of it…?" Naofumi growled.
"I see. So it's true. I'm quite disappointed in you, Naofumi-san." Itsuki sighed.
To this, Mald burst into hardy laughter, "Hahaha! Oh, this is rich! The Shield Hero was so desperate for some company he bought a pathetic demi-human slave! That Sword Wench is gonna love that!"
Welt frowned at his comrade's haughty laughter, but he held his tongue. He knew better to argue with him.
Erhard was similarly annoyed at the nobleman's big mouth. However, this was a matter between Heroes, so he figured he shouldn't try to step in unless things got out of hand.
Raphtalia remained silent despite the mocking. She knew her position, and she couldn't fight back against someone like him.
The only one who didn't censor himself was Naofumi.
"Hey, Itsuki… this shiny armor asshole really likes to run his mouth, doesn't he?" Naofumi glared at Itsuki for not silencing his overgrown butt kisser.
"Unfortunately, I'm aware. Just do your best to ignore it." Itsuki shrugged, "But, he does have a point. I've heard that Asuka-san spoke out against demi-human slavery. I'd say she'd be just as displeased as I am that you own a demi-human as a slave."
"I'm just using what I can to get by. If slavery is legal in this country, what's the problem in taking advantage of it for my own benefit?" asked Naofumi.
"I won't argue against that. But, even my world condemns slavery. I'm sure yours does too. Given its legality here, there isn't anything to be done about it without stirring up politics, but still, morally speaking, you should be opposed to the practice. It should especially be the case since we're Heroes in this world." Itsuki answered.
"I am, but it's not like I have a choice, now do I? I need someone to fight for me, even if it means I have to enslave them." Naofumi said with a conflicted expression.
Itsuki smirked at seeing this, "Ah yes, you are in a troubling position, aren't you? Even though it's what you deserve,"
This confused Raphtalia even more. Did her master really do something that made him desperate to buy her as a slave?
"I've heard your opinion, Itsuki! And I don't care for it! Just leave us alone!" Naofumi yelled. It angered him that Itsuki had the balls to remind him of the trial.
Raphtalia shuttered as the argument between her master and the Bow Hero reached its peak.
"I guess we can leave it at that. You don't need to worry. I won't report this to the King. You'll need to be at your best for the Next Wave, assuming you show up, anyway." Itsuki shrugged. He motioned for his followers to follow him as he walked to the entrance of the weapon shop. "But, if you do, I'll see you when the Wave hits,"
Naofumi growled at Itsuki's taunts as the Bow Hero and his companions exited the weapon's shop.
The shop grew silent as the Shield Hero seethed in anger.
"Damn him…" Naofumi growled. He thought Itsuki seemed condescending before when they all first met, but this level of arrogance was irritating. Just how much of his Hero title has gone to his head? Was this something Asuka had to deal with before she disappeared?
"Hey, Kid. Feel free to copy a shield." Erhard suddenly suggested.
"Huh?" Naofumi looked to the blacksmith, confused, "I thought I needed to pay for copying a shield…"
"Just this once, I'll allow you to copy one shield for free. But, you better pay me back next time." Erhard smirked.
He was still confused about this change of heart, but Naofumi wasn't going to pass this up.
He quickly picked up one of the shields. His Legendary Shield immediately copied the other shield's appearance and unlocked a new Bonus Skill.
|Siderite Shield Copy Complete! Equip Bonus Skill Unlocked: Shooting Star Shield!|
"It worked!" Naofumi exclaimed. He had already begun reading on the Siderite Shield's Bonus Skill. This shield prevented outsiders from attacking. In addition, it also allowed party members to pass through and attack the enemy.
"T-That was so cool!" Raphtalia chimed.
"It's actually a crime…" Erhard grumbled, "But, you with that shield, you should be able to show up those other Heroes now."
"Not while I'm still so under-leveled." bitterly said Naofumi.
"Levels aren't the only things that matter. If you're in a real fight, you gotta keep your wits about you. Pick your battles wisely, and you'll be fine." Erhard smiled.
"Whatever," Naofumi said as he prepared to leave.
"One last thing; if you find the Sword Lass before the Bow Hero, tell her I'm waiting on her!"
Naofumi gave no response as he and Raphtalia left the old guy's shop and prepared to go to Lute Village.
The Shield Hero was intent on leveling up, making money, and being extra prepared for the prophesied day of the Second Wave.
[-Later: Lute Village-]
Lute Village is a quiet and peaceful village southwest of Castle-Town. It would make for a good home base for small-time adventurers.
Naofumi and Raphtalia came to this village par recommendation from Erhard.
He spoke with a local merchant about the Usapil fur and the medicine he made. The merchant offered a fair deal of 20 silvers each.
The Shield Hero noticed the merchant hadn't brought up the Small Shield attached to his arm. Either he didn't notice, or he did and simply pretended he didn't. Either way, even if he was willing to buy at a good price, it wasn't enough.
While her master was discussing business with the merchant, Raphtalia gazed curiously at a rubber ball. Her new weapon was an Iron Short Sword.
"Is there any place to make money fast?" Naofumi asked the merchant.
"Well, there's the coal mine on the outskirts of town. You can make a decent amount with the ores and materials in there. You should count yourself lucky." the merchant answered.
"Why's that?"
"You know the mine and the surrounding areas? They were invested with monsters after the First Wave hit. But, the Sword Hero cleared them out."
"The Sword Hero?" Naofumi asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yep. The village chief sent a request, and the Sword Hero came and took care of the monsters all on her own. If you ask me, she was a godsend compared to the royal knights or other adventurers looking the other way at our meager village. It's thanks to her that rebuilding Lute has progressed a lot more smoothly." the merchant explained with a grateful smile.
Looking around, Naofumi could see that some buildings in the village were undergoing repairs.
"Did she now…" Naofumi muttered. He thought Asuka must be very pleased with herself to have people sing her praises, even though she was in hiding right now. He wondered how miserable this village would have looked if she didn't clear out the mine and forests. If anything, Asuka's good deed might have screwed him over if he couldn't find anything worth selling in the mine.
Afterward, the merchant adopted a deep frown and sighed, "I don't know what our other summoned Heroes are doing, but it isn't much. I hear the Spear and Bow Heroes are always out on big adventures or playing around. And now there's word about the Sword Hero disappearing in the capital. Are we even gonna survive the next Wave this time?"
Naofumi recalled his encounter with Itsuki, and it didn't leave a good impression. He must be so high up in his own ass that he didn't consider helping villages like this one to be worth his time. The same could probably be said of Motoyasu.
Even during his time alone, he had heard some stories about Motoyasu and Itsuki. They were usually positive, and it pissed Naofumi off. When it came to anything positive about those two, he usually tuned it out. Asuka, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He may have heard some people praise her combat prowess and work esthetic, but in the end, they still lament that she supports Naofumi and abhor slavery and racism against demi-humans. They were even calling her a Fake Hero because of this. It came as no surprise she'd disappear if criticism like this was all she was getting.
But, Naofumi didn't care what was going on with her. Asuka was on her own, and that was the end of it. At the same time, some part of him couldn't help feeling partly responsible for Asuka's predicament. Hell, some people blamed him for her sudden decision to leave the Adventurer's Guild. He was starting to think they might be right, and it really irritated the Shield Hero.
"Anyway, if you're looking to make a quick buck, I'd get going while the getting's good if were you." the merchant advised, "There should still be some minerals and ores left in the mines to gather and sell."
"Sure…" Naofumi said. He didn't entirely believe the merchant, but the Shield Hero decided it might be worth checking this coal mine out. If he could get his hands on the ores inside, he'd be able to make a good amount of money.
A second later, he noticed Raphtalia was still looking at that ball.
Raphtalia hadn't said a word the entire time her master was conversing with the merchant. Her mind wandered to the ball a group of human kids from Castle-Town was playing with. They looked like they were having fun. She would have liked to play with a ball as she did in the old days before the First Wave of Catastrophe. However, Raphtalia didn't want to burden her current master with her selfishness, especially when her nightmares inconvenienced him already.
"How much for that ball?"
"Huh?" surprised, Raphtalia looked up at Naofumi.
"You wanted it, right? I remember you looking at one just like it in town." Naofumi said as he was paying the merchant for the rubber ball. He once saw Raphtalia looking enviously at a few kids playing with a ball before. Naofumi asked if she wanted one like it, but she said no. She likely didn't want to burden her master with her selfishness. The Shield Hero didn't mind, seeing as he was buying it anyway. He lightly threw the ball to her and she clumsily caught it.
"I-I didn't want it, so you didn't have to buy for it me!" Raphtalia demurred, but she still clutched the ball in her tiny hands.
"Don't lie. You wanted it."
"B-But…" Raphtalia mumbled. To her surprise, Naofumi patted her on the head again.
Early this morning, she had another nightmare. She was so panicked that she even bit her master's hand. Of course, it didn't hurt him, but it was still concerning.
For his part, Naofumi found it was getting harder and harder to act like a cruel taskmaster with Raphtalia's mental state being so fragile. It made Naofumi want to help Raphtalia somehow. Asuka surely would have wanted to do something for her as well.
"Look, it's okay to be selfish once in a while." said Naofumi, "You've been working hard, so you can play with it in your free time."
"T-Thank you…" Raphtalia shyly said. A moment later, her stomach growled again, to her master's annoyance.
"Seriously? We just ate!" Naofumi groaned.
"I'm sorry!" Raphtalia squealed, fearing her master's potential wrath.
But, Naofumi's annoyance with his slave died down and he patted her head, "Fine! We'll eat first and then go to the mine."
"O-Okay…" Raphtalia said as her master walked ahead. Naofumi continued to surprise the raccoon girl with his every action. He was nothing like what she pictured the Shield Hero to be. He was scary, but he was also kind. Her other masters weren't nearly this generous. Especially not her last master… Thinking of him and his cruelty made Raphtalia's skin crawl. She hoped she would never have to see him again.
Sometimes, she could see Naofumi's mind wander as if he was thinking something about important. This usually happened when the Sword Hero came up in conversation. For some reason, he didn't want to talk about her. Raphtalia didn't understand why.
He didn't seem to like the other Heroes either. When he and the Bow Hero met earlier, there was so much tension in the air; it was hard to believe they were friends at all. What could have happened to cause them to hate each other?
Raphtalia first observed this negative attitude when the blacksmith mentioned a 'Sword Lass', who Naofumi identified as Asuka. It sounded like a girl's name. Even Raphtalia had never heard of a female Cardinal Hero. "Maybe… if she's my master's friend, I'll get to meet her one day…"
Suddenly, the older girl she met came to mind. Raphtalia didn't see any weapon like a sword on her, but she handled those men like a talented fighter. She seemed to know the Shield Hero, who turned out to be Naofumi.
"Wait… could she be…"
"Raphtalia! What's the holdup?!" Naofumi yelled to his slave. During the past three days, Naofumi learned quickly that Raphtalia consumed a lot of food. Her previous master must have starved her or something.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm coming!" Raphtalia answered. She carefully stuffed her new ball into the bag she was carrying. In it were various items she deemed sentimentally valuable. For starters, the flag from her first kid's meal was kept as a symbol of her past. It reminded her of the flag her village once had. It also felt as though her parents were watching over her once more.
That was probably why the severity of the nightmares began to fade over time. Before, the nightmares were so grotesque that even the memory of Raphtalia's friends and family was distorted. She'd see and hear them say that hated her and told her to die. It heavily affected her sanity up until now.
Presently, the nightmares usually just started as peaceful as days of old until the gruesome reality of what happened that day woke her up.
Was it due to her new master's kindness toward her that the nightmares began to subside?
No, it was more than just Naofumi's gruff but kind nature.
"Because, once you do learn who he is, you have to decide for yourself whether or not you want to fight."
The words of encouragement from that girl stayed with Raphtalia. Whoever that girl was, she was stronger than Raphtalia will ever be. The raccoon girl hoped she would be as strong as that girl. And maybe have bigger breasts too.
Raphtalia couldn't get the image of that girl's incredible breasts out of her mind, and she couldn't help feeling envious.
[-Lute Village Mines-]
After lunch, Naofumi and Raphtalia journeyed to the mines near Lute.
Before entering, they entered a wooden shack outside of the mine entrance, hoping to find something collecting any ores left to find.
He was able to find a rope, a pickaxe, and a map. These would definitely be useful for navigating the mine and collecting materials if they could find any.
Naofumi figured it was a good time to experiment with his shield again, so he absorbed the rope into the Legendary Shield's jewel.
|Unlocked: Rope Shield|
Equip Bonus Skill: Air Strike Shield
"Rope Shield, huh?" Naofumi said as he examined his new Rope Shield. As expected, it was just a shield made out of rope, and it wasn't very exciting. However, its Equip Skill was a different story.
"Air Strike Shield!" Naofumi called out, and a giant floating shield appeared in front of him and Raphtalia. It was green and seemingly made of solid light.
"Wow, this is pretty cool," Naofumi smirked as he canceled the skill out. He figured the Rope Shield itself was lame since it was just made out of rope, but its Equip Skill made up for it.
Raphtalia looked a little surprised by the skill's sudden appearance.
Naofumi also decided to absorb a pickaxe, gaining the Pickaxe Shield, which gave him Mining 1 as a Bonus Equip Skill, which allowed him to use a pickaxe to mine materials.
Now that they were set to go, the master/slave pair ventured into the empty mine entrance. However, Raphtalia spots tracks belonging to a large animal. Most likely a monster.
"Tracks? Looks like they belong to some kind of dog treading through here…" Naofumi said as he held the torch laminating the caverns. Either Asuka missed one, or this monster just so happen to move in while it was unoccupied. Either way, the paw prints look pretty big. If it was a large animal-like monster, they wouldn't be in the best shape to fight it.
The Shield Hero turned to his slave and saw that she looked a little frightened.
"Dog…" Raphtalia mumbled while shaking.
"Do dogs freak her out? Maybe it's got something to do with her nightmares." Naofumi wondered. However, that mystery could be solved later. They needed to find any ores that might still be around here. Fighting monsters wasn't on the agenda.
"Raphtalia, if it looks dangerous, we run like hell. You better keep up." Naofumi advised.
"O-Okay…" Raphtalia nervously nodded in compliance.
"It's okay. I'm not scared… I'm helping a Hero!" she told herself as she followed behind Naofumi. She held onto a pickaxe for Naofumi to use later when they came across any ore.
As they delved deeper into the mine, they noticed a lot of mining spots were cleaned out. They went further in, hoping to find more material to collect.
As they walked, Raphtalia spoke up, "U-Um…"
"What is it?" asked Naofumi.
"I was wondering how I should address you…" Raphtalia meekly said. She knew his name, but her master never set any rules to follow besides helping him hunt monsters. He never even ordered her to call him master, like her other owners.
"Call me whatever," Naofumi replied.
"A-Alright…"
After this short conversation, Naofumi and Raphtalia eventually come across a cavern with glowing green crystals covering the walls. It would appear one had cleared this area off yet.
There was a waterfall up above the cliff flowing down into a river below.
"Alright. This is good news for us!" Naofumi smiled with glee. He immediately got to work on mining, using the pickaxe to break a piece of crystal off the ground.
Meanwhile, Raphtalia stood nearby while holding the torch.
However, she noticed something lurking in the shadows. A deep breathing sound was picked up by her ears. It was drawing closer slowly.
"This might be easier than expected," said Naofumi as he held up a piece of ore. After stuffing the ore in his bag, Naofumi turned to Raphtalia. However, he noticed that she was trembling fiercely.
"Raphtalia, what's wrong?"
"D-Dog…" she whimpered. Naofumi turned in the direction of Raphtalia's line of sight and he finally saw it.
Slowly, the monster crept out of the darkness, revealing itself. It was a very big, two-headed black dog. Its eyes glowed red, evidence of its malicious intent.
Its growled was unlike any dog Naofumi had ever heard. It was demonic and loud.
The two-headed dog advanced menacingly, baring its sharp fangs.
"A dog monster?! Are you kidding? It's way bigger than the paw prints suggested!" Naofumi thought. They never tackled a monster this big before. It was clear they needed to run before they were eaten alive.
"KYAAAAHHHH!" Raphtalia screamed in horror at the sight of the beast. The memories of the monster that killed her parents resurfaced and it paralyzed her.
Sensing Raphtalia's fear, the two-headed dog lunged forward with a loud vicious roar.
Thinking quickly, Naofumi grabbed Raphtalia and jump off the cliff, tumbling down to the river below before the monster could get them. The two-headed dog watched as its prey plummeted to the water below. It wasn't going to let them escape that easily.
Meanwhile, Naofumi and Raphtalia resurface from the water using Naofumi's Rope Shield. He cast the rope from the shield up and wrapped rock on the other side of the ravine.
"T-Think you can make it?" Naofumi asked as he climbed up while carrying a still frightened Raphtalia.
"D-Dog… dog monster! It killed everyone in my village! Mother… Father!" Raphtalia cried. This surprised her master.
Once they made up the cliffside, Naofumi and Raphtalia had a moment of reprieve, as the dog monster hadn't caught up to them yet.
"Why'd you panic back there?" Naofumi asked.
"I-I'm sorry… I-I know I have to fight… but…" Raphtalia sniffled.
Although he was annoyed that she panicked when she saw the monster, Naofumi understood that Raphtalia was fearful of something.
"What happened? Is it the same thing that makes you cry every night? Tell me…" he asked with a sympathetic expression.
Seeing this, Raphtalia finally decided to tell her story to her master.
"I-I come from a little village by the sea… it was a demi-human village… The rest of the country wasn't kind to demi-humans, but everyone in the village was so warm and lively. We lived in peace… until the First Wave of Catastrophe…" Raphtalia began slowly.
She explained that never before seen monsters came out of nowhere and attacked her village. It happened so fast. Before they knew what was happening, the entire village was overrun.
Raphtalia and her parents managed to escape to the cliff beyond the sea, but they were chased by a huge dog-like monster. This dog monster led the assault on the village.
Seeing no way out, Raphtalia's kind-hearted parents ultimately chose to sacrifice themselves to ensure her survival, while the monster devoured them whole. Even as she fell to the sea below, watching her parents being turned apart was forever burned into Raphtalia's mind. After the First Wave, she returned to the cliff and found nothing but a pool of blood and torn clothes.
In the present, Raphtalia choked up sobs from telling her master about her parents' deaths. She couldn't bear to finish the rest.
But, Naofumi finally understood where her nightmares came from.
"So, that's why she cries every night…" Naofumi thought. He thought back to Asuka's haunted expression again. She must have witnessed something similar to Raphtalia before she was summoned here. Unlike Raphtalia, who was lucky to have survived the First Wave, Asuka wound up dying and was summoned to an unfamiliar world while being forced to fight the Waves of Catastrophe.
There was no faking that distraught expression on her face that day. Asuka saw people close to her die right in front of her.
When that realization came, a heavy layer of guilt washed over Naofumi. While he was stubborn and selfish, Asuka tried her hardest to protect another friend from suffering another cruel fate, only to fail. And now, she was out there somewhere, all alone. All this time, Naofumi tried to ignore the possible, but deep down, he knew that Asuka suffered way more than he did.
Raphtalia was in the same boat. Except now she was a slave. She probably endured way more trauma than other Naofumi himself or Asuka.
But, now wasn't the time to sympathize.
The Two-Headed Dog was back and was ready to kill.
"KYAAHH!" Raphtalia screamed.
"Calm down! That's not the same monster that killed your parents, right?"
"N-No… it was bigger and had three heads…"
"Either way, we don't have much choice here. This thing won't stop hunting us, so we have to fight it here and now." Naofumi said, readying his shield. He remembered the old guy's advice about picking battle wisely, and this was a battle they couldn't run away from. His HUD revealed the dog monster's level. It was at 15. It wouldn't be easy, but killing it now meant a huge boost to their current level.
"B-But-"
"Listen, Raphtalia! You have to be the one to kill it." Naofumi instructed, "If you fight and I get stronger as the Shield Hero, we can send off the Waves of Catastrophe. We can make sure that tragedy never happens to anyone again!"
Asuka was determined to protect this world from the Waves of Catastrophe. Deep down, even after everything that has happened, she probably still feels that way. He may not feel the same since all he wanted was to go home, but Naofumi wasn't completely heartless in this desire.
Protecting others is what the shield does. If Naofumi had to play that role to get stronger, then so be it. But, he still needed a sword to fight in his place. That sword had to be Raphtalia.
Naofumi knew that she was scared, but if they could kill the Two-Headed Dog, then he'd be able to gain more levels.
"Face it. Your parents aren't coming back. But, we can make sure no other kid goes through what you did. And for that to happen, I'll protect you!" Naofumi declared as he raised his shield and called out its skill, "Air Strike Shield!"
The giant glowing shield appeared right in front of the Two-Headed Dog, preventing it from advancing further. However, it wasn't going to stay that way for long. The Two-Headed Dog was already about to break through with its own strength.
"Raphtalia, you have to kill this thing now!" Naofumi ordered. He couldn't keep the Air Strike Shield up for too long due to his limited SP. At best, he could probably cast two shield skills. He had to make them count. But, his slave was still hesitant to attack.
"I-I…" Raphtalia whimpered.
"If you aren't going to fight, then you escape while I buy you some time!"
"B-But, that's… you'll end up like my parents…!" Raphtalia couldn't figure out what to do. She wanted to run, but she could bear the thought of leaving her current owner behind. He was the first person in a long time to show her kindness. She felt happiness for the first time in ages. Abandoning him would be like going back to those miserable days in that cage or with her previous abusive masters.
The memories of her time with her kind master Naofumi and the peaceful memories of her parents and friends began to resurface.
The day her parents died protecting her...
The day she was separated from her dearest friend, Rifana...
They all resurfaced in vivid detail in her mind. And then…
"You have to decide for yourself whether or not you want to fight."
Suddenly, Raphtalia remembered the words that girl from before said to her.
"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!"
That's right.
It was her choice to fight and survive. Her choice was to fight beside her master, the Shield Hero. Raphtalia must be his sword. If not, he would die, and she couldn't bear that. Not again!
It was right then and there that Raphtalia gathered all of her strength and decided to attack, determined never to lose another person she cared about.
At the same time, the Two-Headed Dog broke through the Air Strike Shield and lunged forward to the pair, ready to finally finish them.
"NOOOO!" with a mighty cry, Raphtalia leaped forward into the air and stabbed the Two-Headed Dog attacking Naofumi. She landed a strike against the right head's long neck. Following this, Raphtalia fell to the ground, and the angry Two-Headed Dog growled at her, signaling its next attack.
"Siderite Shield!"Naofumi quickly called out, switch the Rope Shield to the Siderite Shield, and activated its Bonus Skill, "Shooting Star Shield!"
A shining, thin wall of light emerged in front of Raphtalia, protecting her from the dog monster's vicious twin bit. Seizing this opportunity, Raphtalia passed through the wall and stabbed the Two-Headed Dog's chest, causing it to bleed profusely and eventually die moments later. Its lifeless body fell to the ground shortly thereafter.
Resting on the floor, Raphtalia breathed heavily from the adrenaline rush subsiding.
"Nice job, kid." Naofumi smiled as he walked up to his slave. It was a good thing he had both of these shields. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have walked away unscathed. Plus, they gained 340 EXP, which gave them a significant boost to their levels.
"N-Naofumi-sama!" Raphtalia cried as she ran up to and tackled Naofumi to the ground, hugging him tightly.
"Ow! Hey! Easy! I'm kinda tired after everything that just happened!" Naofumi grunted. He was surprised to hear her use his name.
"Naofumi-sama, please promise me! Promise me you'll never die!" she whimpered as she poured out tears into his chest.
"I told you before, haven't I? You attack, and I defend. That way, we won't have to worry about dying." Naofumi said, gently patting her head.
"A-Alright…"
Naofumi turned to the dead monster beside, "We'll get out of here once I feed this monster to my shield."
"O-Okay, but c-can we stay like this a little longer…"
The Shield Hero let out a long sigh. Dealing with any more surprise attacks from any monsters hiding in this mine would be a pain in the ass. But he figured Raphtalia could use a little comfort after this ordeal.
As his mind wandered, the Shield Hero wondered what Asuka was up to.
Meanwhile, Raphtalia felt an immense weight lift from her tiny body.
"Mom… Dad… Rifana-chan... Guess what! I met the Shield Hero! He was really scary at first, but… I'm alright now. Everything's alright because he's here with me now…"
[-Meanwhile: Callma Village-]
Finally, after three days of travel, Motoyasu and his party arrived at Callma Village. The village was northwest of Castle-Town.
The village was bigger compared to a small town like Lute, probably due to the trading business of the governing nobleman presiding over this territory.
"Girls, we're finally at Callma Village!" Motoyasu announced as he peered out the window of the luxurious wagon carriage he and his companions occupied. The wagon was pulled by a pair of Filolials.
"Finally! I can't begin to tell you how tired this journey has made me!" Myne complained. She sat next to the Spear Hero.
"Even though you sat most of the way?" Rino thought as she looked at Myne incredulously.
"I can't wait to take a proper bath after sweating so much!" said Lesty, stretching her arms.
"But, you did nothing but cheer for Motoyasu-sama while he was fighting…" Rino thought as she looked at Lesty.
"What's that look for, newbie?" Lesty glared.
"N-Nothing!" Rino sputtered.
"Hey now, Rino-chan, Lesty-chan! Try to get along, okay?" Motoyasu lightly scolded, "We wouldn't want Felecia-chan to feel uncomfortable, do we?"
The Spear Hero glanced at the girl he mentioned beside him.
"I'm perfectly fine, Motoyasu-sama. Thank you for your concern." Felecia said politely. She wore common clothes, which consisted of a pale yellow shirt, a pink cardigan, a mid-length magenta skirt, and brown sandals. The top of the dress seemed to hug upper her body neatly, as seen with the chest looking a little tight.
"I know we gotta met with the governor first before we set on looking for that monster, but I hope we can meet your relatives," Motoyasu said.
"Um… yes, that would be lovely," Felecia said. That was the cover story 'Felecia' used to convince Motoyasu to let her accompany him and his party to Callma Village. She hoped she could keep the ruse up for a while longer, so she could find the Giant Scorpion King before Motoyasu did.
"You can do this, Asuka. You just need to find the right opportunity,"
Lyall the Werewolf: Finally done. And just in time before Shield Hero Season 2 came out. I had some trouble adapting to the encounter with the Two-Headed Dog in the mine. I originally wanted Asuka to go to the mine while Naofumi and Raphtalia were there, but now she's here in Callma Village.
Callma Village from the original is back. What I intend to do here is up in the air at the moment. Just know that Asuka will be the main focus of the next chapter.
As for the implications regarding Rifana... well, we'll see.
Hope to see you then.
Update: Finished the unfinished sentence involving Clairvoyance.