One Punch Man belongs to One.
Rising of The Shield Hero belongs to Aneko Yusagi.
I own neither of them.
| Adventure Begins |
Suiryu finally could let out a breath of relief. At last, he was not in front of Aultcray anymore.
However, the king's damned offspring was tagging him. As he came out with her while holding their bag of silver coin, he tried to act as natural as he could. In truth, her fake smile and the way she talked disgusted Suiryu really much. Yet, he braced himself while waiting for the right time to beat her face for good. Of course not in a literal way.
As they took their pace out from the castle, they passed near the place where the martial artist made his first kill that morning. The guards were still cleaning the yard and the wall from the crimson stain. Some of them puked when they found the splattered innards of the carcass. For a man like Suiryu who had obliterated many monsters, the sight was just pretty ordinary. But for the other heroes and adventurers who walked together with him, such sight was downright horrifying. Suiryu took a side glance and saw the boys' faces had turned white.
"MBRGHH…" Itsuki covered his mouth when he saw some soldiers were dragging mangled legs of a horse.
"… Ugh…" Ren held his stomach as he saw a lump of meat from the carcass being loaded onto a wagon.
"Se-senpai…" Motoyasu muttered as he looked at Suiryu with a terrified look.
The martial artist chuckled in response. These kids were surprisingly too green. If they had never seen blood, how could they slay monsters? The answer laid beyond their eyes. Suiryu knew that the boys at least had some courage to live after whatever happened in their old worlds. Perhaps that courage would become their driving force to set forth a new goal in this world.
As of Suiryu, his driving force was different. Instead of courage, it was fear. Fear to become a weakling. Fear to see his own helpless state. And fear to know that there was a thing called despair. He was so scared at the thought that there would come a day when he could not save his own self, let alone people in need. That was the reason he pushed himself to become stronger. To pursue what Saitama had attained and to prepare for the day when a strong enemy would emerge.
However, on the outside, Suiryu kept his carefree attitude. Serious in battle doesn't mean that he should become a stiff person who always keeps distance from people. That was why he should strike a conversation with the spear-guy. Maybe giving some words to motivate Motoyasu won't be too much.
"Don't sweat it Motoyasu-kun…" Suiryu tilted his head as he walked leisurely while rubbing his shield on his right arm. "All what you saw this morning were just nothing. If you train hard enough and put more effort in your leveling process, I'm sure you can blow a castle."
"Uhh… I don't think so, senpai… How on earth can I destroy such big thing?" The spear-guy argued as he looked back at castle Melromarc.
"Well… Who knows? Maybe you can acquire some skills of mass-destruction magic." The champion replied as he leaned closer and put his arm around Motoyasu's shoulder. "You know! This world is really amazing. Back in our worlds, have we ever find magic?"
Motoyasu wasn't bothered by that and looked at the champion's face. His fear faded when Suiryu acted like his close friend. That sense of warmth also made the spear hero think that Suiryu was not a bad guy. As he thought about Suiryu and his question, his eyes directed up to the sky, as if he could find the answer from the clouds above.
"No..." The spear-guy shook his head as he raised his brows. "I guess what we call magic only exists in legends and games."
"Right. Then, have you checked your status? There are some skill sets for magic, right?" Suiryu asked with a hint of excitement.
"Well, I've checked it. And yeah… I see there are magic skills." Motoyasu answered as he opened the menu.
The other heroes who heard the conversation were envious. If it were them, they would ask immediately about the cheat codes from the man whom they believed as a developer. At this point, they thought that Motoyasu was a moron.
"And since I don't know much about game, please tell me. Based on the game you played, do your character gets stronger after you play it?" Suiryu inquired.
'Meh…! Don't pretend to be dumb, old man! You're the worst liar!' Itsuki mused as he looked at the conversing Casanovas.
"Of course!" Motoyasu answered as he raised his spear. "We play, we level up, we gather items and skills and we get stronger."
"That's it! I think that's what we should do in this world. To become stronger, do our job and free people from threat."
Suiryu ripped off his own jargon from before he met Saitama. He still held the idea that becoming strong was a key to an enjoyable life. Although after he became a professional hero, he believed that it would be nice to use that strength to bring happiness for many people. He only hoped that Motoyasu and the other heroes as well could grasp the idea that becoming a hero also meant that they should serve the people.
Motoyasu hummed in response as he pondered about Suiryu's advice. Thinking about doing the job was hard. And thinking about exterminating threat made his head hurt. To put it simple, it was easier said than done. If this environment was a game, there shouldn't be any burdening factors like laziness and tiredness. But this thing was real. It made him a little bit pessimistic.
"But, can we really do that, Senpai?" Motoyasu asked as his eyes wondered toward the street.
"Indeed it's hard. But believe in yourself. To be chosen as a hero is a proof that–"
"Milord Shield Hero, we are almost at the gate." Aultcray's spawn called as she grabbed Suiryu's hand. "Let's make a haste."
"Oh, alright." Suiryu nodded as he showed a fake smile to her. "Okay, Motoyasu-kun. It's really fun to talk with you. Next time we'll talk more. See ya… Everyone…"
"Uh, see ya… Senpai." Motoyasu waved his hand as he put a pondering look.
The adventurers also waved at Suiryu while showing mild gloomy expressions. Either they cursed their luck or the king who appointed the redhead to become shield hero's companion. As they saw Suiryu's back, they hoped that one day, there would be a chance where they could fight alongside with him.
As Suiryu walked away and took another route with the red-haired girl, Motoyasu was thinking about his advice. For him, the champion's words sounded like dialogues from games he played. But when he thought more about it, it made him assume that Suiryu was a student of philosophy since his words were too complicated for him. Being a carefree person as always, Motoyasu shrugged off such hard thoughts. For the spear hero, to know that Suiryu was a nice guy was enough.
And it was also enough to garner envious stare from Ren and Itsuki. Leaving such chance to ask for cheat code only meant that the player was brainless.
"Kitamura-san… How should I put this?" Ren spoke as he walked closer to Motoyasu. "You know that he is a cheater, right?"
Motoyasu was utterly confused by Ren's question. The term "cheater" in Motoyasu's mind only linked with something related to wild romance. Nothing to do at all with cheating in a game.
"Cheater?" Motoyasu asked back as he gave a puzzled look.
Ren and Itsuki didn't expect such look. A normal gamer should really know their hint. And this, was an omen that Motoyasu was a gamer "below normal."
"Developer! It's hacker, you know!" Itsuki showed a mild annoyance. "What we mean is, why didn't you ask Suiryu-san about the cheat code for this game!?"
"Cheat code… For this game?" Motoyasu cupped his chin as he used his spear shaft to tap his shoulder. "Wait a sec, guys… Are you sure that right now we're in a game?"
Ren and Itsuki facepalmed. The sword and the bow boys now knew that the spearman was not only a degenerate but also an airhead. Indeed, it was wise to ask Suiryu instead of asking this guy.
"Oh, well. Forget it…" Ren waved his hand in a dismissive manner as he walked away from Motoyasu, followed by his party. "We'll just ask him later."
"Yeah. See you, later, Kitamura-san." Itsuki also took a faster pace. "Let's go, everyone. Don't forget to buy additional equipment."
"Yes, Milord." Itsuki's companions replied in unison as they followed their master.
"Uh…" Motoyasu could only stare at the fellow heroes as he led the girls behind him.
'Seriously? Are they thinking that this is a game?' Motoyasu mused as he narrowed his eyes. 'Ah, never mind...'
"Lord Spear Hero, shouldn't we hurry up? The other heroes have led their own party to the town." The witch girl who finally decided to join Motoyasu reminded him. "I am afraid that we wouldn't have enough time to level up for this day."
"Oh, right. Let's go."
After exited the gate of the castle, Aultcray's daughter led Suiryu directly into the town. During their way through the hustle and bustle of the capital, they had some trivial conversation. From that chat, she introduced herself as Myne Sophia. Suiryu didn't care though. Because that didn't change the fact that she was a liar.
Passing various bazaar along the crowded street, Suiryu enjoyed himself by looking at the wares people were selling. The circumstance reminded him to the shopping districts in his old world. It gave him amusement and became a good way to distract him from thinking too much about the female demon beside him.
Their stroll finally led them to a less crowded street where housings and shops were located. The buildings mostly used stone bricks and erected on each side of the street. Compared to the previous area, the place looked neat and pleasant. Their destination was the armory.
At first, Suiryu refused to go there since he didn't need any armor. Yet Myne insisted that he would really need some equipment. When she mentioned that the armorer also sold some clothes, Suiryu thought for a moment. His current attire always made people stare at him. And he didn't like to be the center of attention. Thus, he decided to join her. At least the princess was useful for this thing.
The moment they entered the armory, a bald, well built man around his 40s greeted them from the counter. He wore a short-sleeved gray shirt under his leather apron, black pants and leather boots. Perhaps he was an adventurer in his younger days. Suiryu thought so since he saw a scratch mark adorned the man's side of his head. Despite his rather scary look, he was so friendly.
"Welcome…" The man greeted and suddenly, his smile became very wide when his eyes laid on Suiryu's figure. "My, my… Look at who's my first customer for today!"
"Hello, Sir…" Suiryu waved his hand as he smiled. "We're looking for some equipment."
"Ah, surely. I provide equipment and gears for adventurers. Feel free to take a look." The armorer said as he exited the counter. "And, who is this young lady over here. I haven't seen you before. How do you know my shop?"
Myne smiled. "Your shop is quite popular among adventurers, Mister Erhard."
"Oh, I see." Erhard nodded as he gazed at Suiryu with amazement. "Then, what would you like to see, my dear customers? Is it a sword, an armor, or something else?"
Erhard walked towards his customers and stood beside Suiryu. He was totally in awe when he saw such young man who had a very perfect physique. It made him wonder about why Suiryu didn't enroll to become a knight of Melromarc. With such heavy built, he would surely become an esquire. Beside assessing his general appearance and prospect, Erhard also noticed the shield on Suiryu's arm which looked fancy.
"Well, Mister Erhard..." Suiryu walked closer towards the armorer as he looked around the room. "Firstly, do you have any clothes for me? If it is possible, the most durable one, please."
"Wow, you have a very special preference, eh?" Erhard smirked. "I have some. Although, the problem is the size. But fret not. I think I still keep some others which will suit you. Wait a moment, please."
Erhard dashed inside to take the clothes. While waiting for him, Suiryu looked at the weapons around him. The display really looked like a museum. He noticed that some of them looked similar to those owned by heroes.
'Wow… Is that Spring Mustachio's Tomboy? And… Oh, this one looks like Darkness Blade's sword.' Suiryu thought as he looked at the display. 'Must be expensive, huh?'
"Here, take a look." The armorer came back with some folded clothes, then put them on the counter.
Suiryu hummed as he touched the outfits in front of him. The fabric was rougher than his clothes, but it looked tougher. He took off his hooded-vest and compared it to the shirts. After measuring some of them, he decided to take a short-sleeved gray shirt and a pair of black pants. As of his combat shoes and vinyl belt, he decided to keep them. Erhard afterwards let him use the fitting room at the corner. When the champion opened the curtain to show his new look, Erhard chuckled while Myne hung her jaw in exasperation.
"Hahaha… Grand! I like your style!" Erhard patted Suiryu's back as he came out from the fitting room. "You really look like a fighter!"
The martial artist thought that it wasn't bad, but the upper part felt awkward. Despite the shirt was the largest in Erhard's possession, it was still not enough to contain his muscles. If people from his world saw him, they might think that he had joined Tank-top Army or had an affair with Puri Puri Prisoner. As he looked at his outfit, he tried to flex his arms and hunched his back. Fortunately, the fabric was strong enough to retain from such stretch.
"I'll take that as a compliment. But, I'm still afraid that this would wreck at any moment." Suiryu said as he rolled his shoulders.
"Don't worry. It's made from the best material." Erhard tucked the shirt's sleeve. "See..."
"You… you look really great." Myne praised Suiryu.
"Thanks."
"Now, for your weapon… Since you are a starter, let's see…" Erhard cupped his chin as he looked around the place. "Oh yeah. Before that, can I have your name, young man?"
"Oh, my apologies. How rude of me. I'm Suiryu." Suiryu introduced himself as he bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Mister Erhard."
"Don't be so formal, son!" The armorer patted Suiryu's back again. "Just call me Erhard."
"Very well, pop." Suiryu smiled teasingly.
They chuckled together afterwards. Suiryu and Erhard would surely get along very well. They shared the same thought that meeting with fellow strong man was fun.
Myne only stared in disbelief as they chuckled. In her thought, this shield hero was downright terrifying. Adventurers, knights, and now a blacksmith? Just what kind of magic he used to manipulate men? And she didn't know yet how terrifying this man would be in the heat of battle.
"So, what do you think, son?" Erhard asked as he smiled confidently. "That blade over there should be suitable with your shield. Here take a look."
Erhard took a broadsword from the nearest rack. Suiryu took it and try to swing it around. Truth be told, the martial artist wanted to refuse the offer at first. But he felt that it would be very rude to turn down Erhard's kindness. And partly, seeing how Metal Bat used his bat and Flashy Flash wielded Instakill made him curious about the feeling of wielding a weapon.
"Hmm, this is very light. I think this will– Oww…"
A surge of electricity suddenly jolted around Suiryu's hand. The stinging sensation startled him and almost made his hand loosen the blade. He swung it around again and another jolt shocked him. This time, the sting was stronger. A notification window followed as he ceased his test.
Legendary Weapon Violation of Agreement!
A Saint Hero cannot use any other weapon with an intent to fight other than the Legendary Weapon in his possession.
Erhard and Myne were taken aback at the occurrence. As the stone on his shield glowed, Suiryu read the message. For most players, such stupid rule would make them horribly scared. A prohibition from using other weapon for a shielder only meant that the developer wanted to kill the player. An utterly foolish rule in the first place.
Suiryu was also surprised by such absurd rule. He was aware that he didn't sign any contract to become the wielder of the shield. However, the odd rule only surprised him a little bit. If he should come out into the wilderness, he could still stick with his [Void Fist] techniques to defend himself.
"Oh wow… It seems that my little friend over here is very jealous." Suiryu gently caressed his shield. "Well, can't be helped."
"Son, actually who are you?" Erhard asked with a concerned look. "I swear. Your shield is not an ordinary one."
Myne took the chance to answer him. "Mister Erhard, my friend is the new Shield Hero."
'… The one who should answer is me! I'll punish you later…' Suiryu grumbled internally as he glanced furtively at Myne.
"That's true. This shield sticks onto me when I got summoned." Suiryu added as he suppressed his annoyed feeling.
As Suiryu's expression came back into his ever present marvelous smile, the armorer focused his attention to the hero's weapon. The phenomenon was so unique that his interest as an expert in weapon lit up. Erhard took a kind of magnifying glass from his pocket and checked the shield. The green gem on it glowed again as Erhard examined it. Suiryu only looked at the armorer curiously while waiting for an answer about his shield.
"Hmm… I cannot discern what kind of property this shield might have, but this thing is overflowed with magic." Erhard spoke as he tapped the gem lightly. "So, how will you fight, Shield Hero?"
Suiryu's smile became wider when someone asked him about that. Fighting was his source of amusement and his income as well. It was an easy question and he could use the simplest answer to reply the good armorer.
"I can use my limbs for fighting."
"Huh? So you're monk-fighter?" Erhard raised his brow as he smirked. "That's very cool, son."
Monk-fighter. The term sounded really foreign and exotic. Thinking about the term, his mind associated it with someone who went into reclusion for training, practiced ascetic life and attained an ultimate technique of fighting. Suiryu then came into realization that it was the synonym of martial artist. And actually, that kind of life was befitting for his late grandfather, Suicho-sensei. 'Ah, Suicho-oji-san… Rest in peace…' Suiryu mused as the memory about the master of [Void Fist] reemerged.
"Well, sort of…" Suiryu smiled sheepishly.
"So, wanna take a challenge?" Erhard smirked. "Those gears you take would price around 500 silver coins. If you can put a crack on that rusty steel armor, I'll cut the price to 300.
Suiryu smirked. He always loved challenge. The thrill in such stuff and the feeling whenever he came out as a winner always brought him joy.
"Really? What if I can shred it into small pieces?"
Suiryu was not bluffing. Just a week before he arrived in this bizarre world, he killed a mono-eyed automatic battle-suit who identified itself as Machinegod G-9. The martial artist used his [Void Ascension Phoenix Fist] to tear the 100 mm chromium-alloy plating around its head. The rest, he shoved his hand into the wound he made and unplugged all the cables inside, rendering it to self-destruct. Compared to G-9's cranium, this armor before him only looked like a plastic wrap.
"Heh! Try if you can and I'll lower it into 100!"
"Very well, pop. I hope you won't regret what you said." Suiryu replied as he grabbed the armor.
Myne gasped at Suiryu's daring response. She thought that he had gone nut. Defeating men with kicks was still logical in some sense. But tearing armor into pieces with bare hands was a joke. It was outlandishly impossible.
A moment later, Erhard and Myne hung their jaw as they looked at the unbelievable display. Suiryu really tore the metal plate in his grasp like it was a cardboard. In some seconds, the armor reduced to scraps.
"Aaaa-akh…" Myne could not utter any words, terrified by such feat.
"S-s-son…" Erhard stuttered. "A-actually h-how strong are you?"
Suiryu hummed for a moment. The question sounded weird and he even couldn't put a clear definition of "strong." Back in his world, there were so many powerful monsters which could level a city with single slam. And heroes who could slay these monsters existed as well. The condition made the meaning of strength became obscure. Yet, Erhard's question demanded an answer. To answer it, perhaps he could use a simple joke.
"Just strong enough to be chosen as this sassy shield's guardian." Suiryu shrugged as he thought about the discount. "So, a deal is a deal, right?"
Erhard sighed. "I never think you can really do such impossible thing, son. Very, well. Just give me 100 and leave."
Suiryu somewhat felt guilty. Erhard would really took a capital loss. Maybe he was too serious when responding Erhard's joke. Despite legal, he didn't have the heart to make this good guy's business went into bankruptcy.
"What about if I give you 400?" Suiryu offered as he put a piece of the scrap near the counter. "I know the gears I take is a little bit pricey."
A smile rose on Erhard's face when he heard that. At this point, he thought that Suiryu was either a generous guy or a lavish one.
Meanwhile, Myne was still paralyzed by the fact that Suiryu could do such kind of thing. He had proved that what she thought impossible was in fact possible for him. It only made her skin crawl. If she made a little mistake, perhaps she would end up like that armor.
"Hmm, 400! Isn't that too much, son? But, well… If you insist, I'll give you a shoulder strap and a knife as bonuses." Erhard took the items from behind his counter.
"Thanks, pop." Suiryu took the leather strap and put it on. "But, a knife? Are you sure?"
"Well, at least you'll need it for cutting tree branches or skinning animals, right?"
Suiryu took the knife. He unsheathed it and made some cutting moves like when he used a kitchen knife. No adverse reaction occurred. But when he wielded it backhandedly, he saw small sparks on his hand and felt a little bit itchy. The previous notification also popped up. 'So, the bigger the weapon, the harsher the reaction would be,' mused Suiryu as he sheathed the knife. 'If I touch that big blade, maybe my arm will go numb. How troublesome…'
"Are you okay?" Erhard looked at Suiryu's hand. "I saw your shield stung you again."
"Just like being bitten by an ant. And, I think this is very handy." Suiryu put the knife on his left side of his belt. "Myne, would you like to give Mister Erhard 400 coins?"
"Uh… yes," said Myne as she snapped back from her stupor.
"It's a pleasure to do business with you, son." Erhard gave his hand to Suiryu. "Be safe in your journey. I'll be waiting for you."
"The same goes to me. Thanks a lot, pop." Suiryu took Erhard's hand as Myne was counting the coins. "I promise I'll see you again."
'Monster! I wish you'll be devoured by a dragon!' Internally, Myne cursed the champion as she pushed some stacks of coin on the counter.
Outside the wall of the capital was a vast grassy field. The prairie was hilly and bordering it was a forest. In this part of Melromarc, rookie adventurers usually took their time to train and level up.
Being the first party to arrive, Suiryu and Myne chose their hunting spot. They chose a place not really far from the city wall. When they came near a tree, Myne decided to stop and took shelter under it. Now, Suiryu knew what kind of thing this redhead was good at. Good at counting, just like a princess. Other than that, perhaps good at tricking people.
'Well, maybe thanks for taking me to Erhard's shop,' mused Suiryu as he looked at her smiling face. 'But I can do that by myself. Maybe I can see him another day if I'm not with you.'
When he checked her status using the party menu system, he tried not to yell out his shock. Her status was pathetically low. He thought that he should dump her along the way if she could not keep up with him. And since she was Aultcray's daughter, he was aware that she might be served as a mean to kill him. That was why he should think a way to dispose her or break her courage.
As the two were still near the tree, they saw some orange dots which flew around the grassland. People of Melromarc knew these thing as a type of monster called Orange Balloon. They were not harmful and their bite was only numbing. But if they came in packs, that would be harmful.
Without saying a word, Suiryu rushed towards the bunch of the hovering balls. For Suiryu, they looked more adorable than scary. And their durability was something to scoff at since they popped when the martial artist poked them with his index finger. Another waves of these monsters came and in less than five minutes, the champion had popped 40 of them, giving him same amount of EXP. Now, this had become stale. He needed something which could make him sweat. And something to teach Myne about life as a hero.
"Myne…!" Suiryu shouted. "Are you going to join me!?"
"Where?" Myne asked as she walked towards the martial artist.
"Hunting some monsters," the martial artist replied as he looked at the forest.
At first, Myne didn't think anything. She thought that perhaps the martial artist would take her further into the grassland. But when she saw his smirking face that faced the woods, she widened her eyes. It seemed that it was too late for her to refuse.
"S-shield Hero… D-don't tell me that you want to pass that forest…? WUH… AAAHHHHHH!"
Suiryu grabbed the redhead and carried her over his shoulder. Perhaps that was the most convenient way to carry a lady. At least he was still kind enough to give a ride for a liar like her. If he was cruel, probably he would just pull her hair and drag her.
When she was secured as he locked his arm on her back of her knees, he made a forward leap and dashed, faster than the top speed of a filolial bird. Myne's scream filled the air along the way.
"Brace yourself and close your eyes! This will be a treacherous run!" Suiryu spoke loudly as he kept his running speed.
"...CRAZY…. STOOOOPP! LET GO OF MEEEEE!" Myne cried as her hand flailed at Suiryu's steel-hard back while the other yanked his hair to no avail.
In some seconds, they had reached the edge of the forest. And Suiryu didn't care for any obstacle in front of him. He would kick trees into splinters, rush over bushes, and even stomp some boulders into pieces. Moreover, numerous exotic wild faunas like wolves and bears which were on his way met the same fate like the warlock's mad stallion that morning. Basically, Suiryu left a trail of death and destruction along his path.
Back into the prairie, when Ren and his companions had arrived, they heard faint sound of booms. They fixed their gaze at the forest and saw many birds flew out from it.
"What is that?" Ren asked as he squinted his eyes.
"Milord Sword Hero, it seems that a monster is raging in that part of forest." His companion in a scholar attire replied. "Not to mention that this time of year is a mating season for some animals."
"A monster, huh?" Ren nodded as he looked at his sword. "Is it okay if we are leveling up here?"
"Need not to worry, Milord," replied a green-haired girl in martial artist attire. "We are safe as far as we don't go near the forest."
"I see. Let's start then." Ren prepared his sword as he spotted a pack of Orange Balloons.
Sheltered in a shallow cave, Myne was gasping for air as the heat of that midday struck her. She felt really drained due to the shocks imposed upon her frail body and mind. She rested her head on the rock wall and let herself ponder about the previous events. She recalled how she nearly forfeited her very life during that insane venture, some minutes prior. Never crossed her mind that the shield hero was that crazy and illogically powerful. No. Even calling him powerful was an understatement.
As for comparison, Myne ever heard that a silver-plate monk-fighter from the guild could kill a Black Wolf with basic martial arts skills. The golden one could pulverize a Mountain Lion or a Red Bear with more lethal killing strokes. As of adamantite, she never heard about them, but she could guess that these kind of adventurers were those who dare enough to join a raid party for hunting dragon. Those were just a rough estimation to draw a common concept about monk-fighter's power level. And the man who brought her here was someone who stood beyond that boundary.
She shuddered when she compared that power level concept with Suiryu's feats. The gap was terrifyingly wide. Her mind could not reach as of how a monk-fighter like him carried her, running nonstop while slaughtering wolves, bears, lions, and even some of the scariest forest dwellers. Each of them was killed with just a single kick! Thinking about that only induced dizziness.
Along the way, she could see with her own eyes how the poor wild beasts were decimated. Their carcasses littered the forest. She knew that the beasts were dangerous creatures, hunted down by knights and adventurers due their malicious nature. But she also sympathized for their untimely death under the feet of Suiryu. It felt so wrong. She knew that a hero was stronger compared to most people. But this shield hero, she felt as if he stood on the pinnacle of power. It was horrifyingly dreadful and unjust!
She really should take back her swearing in her mind about him. Now, she thought that the one who would get devoured by a dragon was not Suiryu. Instead, Suiryu would devour the dragon! That also meant that her well-planned nasty plot to harm him was on the verge of ruin. Yet, her mind at the moment lost its track as her vision became fuzzy. A familiar numbness overcame her. She fell asleep, out of exhaustion. Perhaps her plan could wait for later.
Not long after that, the shield hero leaped into the shelter. In his hands were a rabbit he had just slaughtered and some edible mushrooms. He planned to roast them for their lunch. But it seemed that his companion decided to take a siesta.
"Well… Princess gonna be princess, huh?" Suiryu muttered as he smirked while looking at snoring Myne. "I think I'll give her the legs. Or, what about its innards? I wonder how she would react later… fufufu!"
Suiryu then started to make fire for preparing the lunch. As he lit the twigs, he felt like he came back to his old days when he and his sister often went out for hunting deer, not really far from their grandfather's dojo. It was really fun to be close to nature. To live close to nature was what Suicho-sensei always taught them about. Now, since he lived much closer to nature, he thought that living in this weird world was not bad at all. Probably, he could attain what his grandfather never dreamed of. To harness [Void Fist] into its fullest.
It was the third day of their journey. Myne was struck by a mild apathy syndrome due to the stress she endured. She lost her appetite every time Suiryu gave her meal and she barely slept at night. Every time Suiryu killed a beast, she just stared with a blank stare. When he took dropped items from the monsters he killed, she looked with uninterested look. Weirdly enough, she still had the desire to walk whenever he walked and could still talk properly although her sulking face seemed to bother the champion.
For a princess who always lived in luxury, Suiryu's way of life in the wilderness was painfully unbearable. No soft bed, no maids, no cheese and no wine. When they were hungry, they should grab anything eatable around them or hunt an animal. Every day they should walk. She could not protest for the hero always stated with religious zeal that this hardship is the path of heroes. She could only curse this awful nomadic life. Her mind finally gave in and those hardships were the cause of her current state.
Suiryu on the other hand didn't expect that Myne was that frail. It was just 72 hours after they left the city wall and now she had already turned into an empty husk. He didn't think that this exciting trip could turn her into a zombie. He could not blame her either since it was her father's fault who spoiled her as a princess. At least she deserved such punishment for being the daughter of a grouchy ruler. However, the journey must not be halted since the Wave wouldn't wait for them. Despite bringing a figurative walking corpse, he should press forward.
Early in the morning of the fourth day, the martial artist and the princess came out from the forest. Suiryu didn't know where it was, but he assumed that they were still in Melromarc.
They walked a path leading to a grassy land. A breathtaking sight of a mountain then came into view. Suiryu could really enjoy such picturesque scenery, but his companion didn't.
Oddly enough, she kept complaining since she woke up that morning. It seemed that she needed to vent out her stress due to the perilous journey she endured. It also indicated that her zombie syndrome had gone. Was it a miracle? The martial artist didn't care though.
"Hey! Until how long will we wander around like this!?" Myne asked as she walked beside Suiryu. "My legs really hurt. Don't tell me that we will be vagabonds!?"
"Vagabonds? Not really I think." Suiryu chuckled as he took a side glance at his companion. "We'll just walk until your legs can make you jump..."
The champion leaped around 20 meters into the air. Within his jump, he closed his eyes and savor the breeze around him. He enjoyed it so much that he didn't know what happened on the ground.
"...Like this."
The moment he landed, he opened his eyes to find Myne was nowhere. He darted his gaze around frantically and saw a black silhouette in the sky. Turned out, it was a dragon, flying westward. In its hand, he also saw a brown dot with… limbs?
'Is that… her? She was snatched by it? Oh yeah, I can still hear her faint cry for help. Guess that I should run to take her.' Suiryu mused as he looked at the reptilian which gave Myne a "joy-flight."
The martial artist jumped and ran towards the prairie. At his normal running speed, he could catch up with the giant lizard in ten minutes. Yet, he needed more. He used his [Void Shivering Tiger Fist] ability and suddenly, his running speed raised tremendously. A notification popped up in his vision as his legs moved faster and the sight of the grass around him became blurry.
You choose to activate [Void Shivering Tiger Fist].
Additional Skill: Running Speed +500%
In two minutes, Suiryu finally could catch up with the dragon. It had jet black scales, spikes around the head down along the back, jagged teeth, golden eyes with split pupils, a body as big as four carriages, sharp claws and a tail with two fins at its end. Its appearance was a resemblance of chaos and destruction.
Despite its nightmarish appearance, the champion was not scared in the slightest. Instead, he found the sight was funny since he could see clearly how Myne was flailing while wailing in its grasp. It made him want to stop for a moment to let out a laughter.
He looked at the truck-sized lizard again and an information display emerged near it. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw it as he lost any reason to stop. His traveling companion had unexpectedly brought him to a goldmine.
JABBERWOCK
Level: 36 | Type: Dragon
EXP: 1800 | Reward: 40 Gold Coins | Dropped Item: Black Dragon Pendant, Panacea I
Attack: 596 | Defense: 431
Resistances:
Thunder: 283 | Fire: 382
'WOW! Gold coins!? Seriously?' Suiryu's face brightened up as he stared at the black dragon. 'The items also looked far more fabulous than those from the forest. Well, I guess thanks, Myne!'
The martial artist decided to test his strength. Although the level gap was really wide, he was confident since his stat had surpassed his opponent's. Not to mention that he could pull out his [Void Fist] to deal fatal blow.
Suiryu opened his attack with a high jump kick, aimed at Jabberwock's abdomen. The moment his foot connected with the stomach, the dragon shrieked in pain. Its HP bar also depleted around five percent, which means that such simple attack could still deal fair damage. He landed onto the ground and ran again. He thought that his next moves should be aimed to secure Myne and stop it from fleeing. 'A stronger kick to the arm and breaking the joints of either wing should do the job,' thought Suiryu as he prepared his second jump.
The shield hero took his aim at the arm which grabbed the princess. He jumped and sent an axe-kick towards it, breaking its bone. As it dangled, its claw opened and Myne fell. Before she hit the ground, the martial artist grabbed her by her waist. Maybe he could let the slightly injured Jabberwock flew away for some moment, just to have a chat with his companion.
"Sorry for making you wait." Suiryu chuckled as he put the redhead onto the ground. "But, don't you think that the view was great from there?"
"Damn you! I thought you'll leave me!" Myne pouted as she sent a punch to Suiryu's stomach which hurt her in return. "Ouch – Tsk… You, freaking ogre!"
Suiryu chuckled again. He never intended to be mean towards girl, but the the king's daughter always made him look like the villain. Her demeanor and reactions unfortunately always became his source of amusement during these eventful days in the wilderness. In truth, he never bullied her because the one who did so was the circumstances. She was the one who got bullied by the nature, but the blame always fell on him. He didn't feel guilty though, because he thought that she deserved that.
"Hahahaha… Sorry, Myne." Suiryu gave an apologetic smile. "But would you like to wait here? I'll slay that monster. The prizes are too appealing to be missed!"
"Whatever! Do as you wish!" She answered as she was still pouting.
The redhead dropped down on the ground as she rubbed her stomach to ease the ache from being grabbed by Jabberwock. As she did so, she cursed the martial artist under her breath. She glanced at the man she was cursing and her face suddenly turned pale. From afar, she could see how Suiryu hit the dragon and brought it to the ground without much effort.
Jabberwock went berserk as its legs touched the ground. It rammed towards Suiryu, but he dodged it with simple sidestep. It shot series of devastating lighting beams from its mouth, but again, the martial artist evaded it like it was nothing. In retaliation, he sent barrages of kicks at it and in less than two minutes, the dragon was rendered silent. Jabberwock's HP bar reached zero. The champion stood triumphantly in front of the carcass.
Myne could only hang her jaw in shock and horror. Her nightmare had come true. The dragon was really "devoured" by Suiryu. Such savage monster, notorious for its strength and brutality, was beaten mercilessly and died under the feet of the shield hero. At this point, she could not think about any mean to harm the champion. He was too invincible, too dangerous and too elusive. Should she come back to the capital and conduct her initial plan, she might bring an inevitable disaster. She should tell her father about this and come up with a new plan. But what? As she stared blankly at Suiryu who proceeded to collect the dropped items, her stomach growled. She could not bear her emotion anymore and there, on the meadow with blooming flowers, she sobbed.
'Oh Father,what kind of terrible fate falls upon your dear daughter!?' Myne whined in her thought as tears of frustration trickled down her cheeks. 'I thought that everything is perfect. But HE… That abomination… HE comes with all his glory and ruined our perfect plan. He ensnared people with his charm and annihilated beasts like swatting flies. Oh, for crying out loud! My dear Father, if you ever know the misery and pain I endured, I swear, you would relent to HIS request on that damned day. This task drives me into insanity! Please, I want to go home! I want to sleep on my bed! My tongue is aching for the taste of cakes, cheeses, wines and all delicacy I can stuff in my mouth! Oh Father, if you can hear me, I beg you to answer my need of aid!'
Aultcray Melromarch the 32nd was sitting on his throne. His face bore anxiety. As his fingers tapped the armrest of his sitting place, he wondered about his dear daughter.
'Actually what happened, my dear Malty? It has been three days straight– No, now is the fourth, and you have not come back. And what HE has done to you!? Why I have a bad feeling about this? Should I call pontifex Balmus about this? Should I call an army to rescue you? Verily, my mind is in unrest about this matter. Oh my dear daughter, please be safe. I will help you and take you back from that beast! I swear!'
Aultcray slammed his hand on his armrest. His minister with bowl-head cut who always stood beside him straightened up in response.
The good minister hunched his back and asked the king. "Is something the matter, Your Majesty?"
"Convene a meeting with the Pontifex and heads of knights! Make this ready as soon as possible!" Aultcray replied with grieved tone.
"As you wish, Your Majesty." The minister bowed and excused himself to prepare the meeting.
Author's Note
Truth be told, the (intended) other half of this chapter will become the fourth. I never know that this thing will become too bulky that I should split it into two. Hope that I can finish it soon. ;-)
Motoyasu & Suiryu? Yeah... It's because I think they can become nice buddies.
About the Jabberwock dragon, it's because I cannot think of a better name for a flying lizard. As we know, in Rising of Za Shield Hero, there are some mythical beasts taken from legends from around the globe. For example, Cerberus, Chimera, Narwhal (The Interdimensional Whale from Season 2) and even a literal T-Rex. So, I guess taking one from Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland won't be too much, right?
Comments and suggestions would be welcomed. Thank you very much, my Dear Readers.
Stay safe and healthy. See you in the next story. ;-)