One Punch Man belongs to One.
Rising of The Shield Hero belongs to Aneko Yusagi.
I own neither of them.
| Dancing With The Dragon |
Part II: Night of The Awakening
Under the the moonlight, Suiryu sat leisurely on his chair by the window as he scanned the quiet street below. After spending that day for the matter of clothes and visited Erhard to pass the afternoon, he stayed at an inn for the night. Immersing himself in the stillness of that night warded off any bad thought in his mind.
He glanced at the HUD and the time was 11:45, just close to midnight. Sometimes, he heard the sound of either barking dog or the cry of an infant. The sensation he perceived was reminiscent to his old days when he still lived with his parents. Yet among those sounds, the one which never ceased his interest was the chattering and liveliness from the nearest tavern – a place where men wasted themselves in booze, old bitter memories and sometimes fight.
Speaking of the devil, the tavern door suddenly burst open. Suiryu perked his head to see what happened and he almost could not believe at what he saw. There, the spear hero Motoyasu, was laying on the ground after he had just been thrown, probably by the tavern's owner for causing some ruckus.
'Guess that he put himself in a trouble. Can't be helped.' Suiryu mused as he quickly grabbed his shirt and boots before he jumped from the window.
Meanwhile, on the street below, the tavern's owner was facing a drunk blond spearman. The customers were poking out their head from the door and windows to gawk at the brawl. Most of them obviously placed their bet on the owner although they knew that the other was a hero. It did not need Child Emperor to answer who would be the winner since Motoyasu had clearly poured himself too much liquor.
"I don't care if you're a spear hero! Hell! Even if you're the king of this country, I'll kick those butt of yours if you start a brawl!" The man yelled as he pointed his finger at the hero.
"Meheeh…? Awnd Awl ell shtab yowh widh dis speer eef yowh…" The pathetic spear-wielder spoke with slur as he struggled to stand by pressing his spear onto the ground. "… dare toe challanze meeh… Em da shpeeeR herroo yowh knowhh… Ughu– *BLERGH*"
Motoyasu dumped the content of his stomach out his mouth, gaining a snort from the owner and boisterous laughter from inside the tavern. He was utterly in a disadvantage was he really aware of his situation.
"Then come forth and prove that you're a man!" The burly owner taunted as he folded his sleeves, ready to fight.
"Whoa, Borgo's gonna kick that kid's ass!"
"Go, Borgo!"
"I'll bet for you! Now, place your bet, gentlemen!"
The cheers getting louder as the two men were facing each other. The hero steadied himself while pointing his spear at the other. He took his first step, but then tripped and slumped on the ground. Some guffaw exploded when the customers saw how Motoyasu fell and seemingly could not stand on his own. Borgo even could not help but let out a laughter at how pathetically comedic Motoyasu's landing was.
All the laughter suddenly faded however, when the people saw a tall and muscular man with short black hair descended from a nearby building. He wore black pants, a pair of black boots and a shoulder strap over a short-sleeved gray shirt which emphasized his well-built muscles. His blue eyes which bore no hostility seemed to glow under the moon, adding the mysterious aura around him. His smile was very perfect, yet behind it, they could feel a threatening quality which killed all the gaiety in that tavern.
The tall man walked towards the fighting arena with a steady pace. The moment he stood near the fallen spear hero, he ducked and poked the hero's cheek. He knitted his brows upon knowing how badly intoxicated the blond was. He faced the tavern's owner in front of him and got an unwelcoming expression.
"Who the hell are you!?" Borgo asked as he frowned at the tall man.
"I beg your pardon for my intrusion, dear Sir." The stranger stood and bowed before the owner. "I am the caretaker of this man."
"So you babysit that lad? Better you take him and leave this place." Borgo warned as he crossed his arms. "I don't want you to cause any more trouble."
"With pleasure." The caretaker crouched to put Motoyasu onto his back and stood without losing his smile. "Then, I shall be off. And I am so sorry for the trouble he caused, so please take this as a compensation."
The caretaker flicked a gold coin with his thumb which Borgo caught it. As the stranger turned around and left with the fainted spear hero on his back, the owner looked at the gold coin on his palm and pocketed it. He went back to his tavern as his customers took back their seat. The chattering slowly came back, but less cheerful than it used to be, as if there was just a terrible tragedy which struck them.
"Hey Borgo, was it just us or you got the same shiver?" One of his customer quipped as he looked at the nearby ale tankard.
"We're same here." Borgo sighed as he walked back to his counter. "Well, damn. He looks extremely tough. Kinda someone I don't wanna mess with."
Motoyasu slowly opened his eyes as he felt a slab of metal was pressing on his chest. It thumped him repeatedly and right at that moment, he realized that he was on someone's back. He groaned and the man who carried him tilted his head.
"You awake, Motoyasu-kun?" The man asked as he smiled.
"Ugh… Who're you?" Motoyasu who was still tipsy croaked out.
"Huh… You're quite helpless, huh?" The man sighed as he brought the spear hero towards a desolated area in that city.
They reached a part of an old fortress, probably abandoned long time ago as the capital city grew larger. Shrubs and grasses carpeted the ground while the moss claimed the ruined walls. The man carried Motoyasu onto a mound adjacent to the summit of the fort's wall. There, he carefully dropped the hero as he sat besides him. He leaned against a stone slab as he let out a huff.
"You've drunk too much. Have this." The man offered a bottle of potion to Motoyasu.
"Booze?" The spearman asked absentmindedly as he took the bottle.
"Something better." The man smiled. "Drink."
Thinking that it was a fine alcohol, Motoyasu drank it. After he gulped the content, he rolled his tongue to discern the lingering taste in his mouth. A minute later, he felt a strong push from inside his stomach, coughed then vomited all the alcohol he drank. As he spilled the remaining intoxicant in his system, the man rubbed his back.
"Ack– What the hell was that?" Motoyasu coughed as he held his head. "That's awful, but hey! I feel lighter. Thanks, dude."
"Nice. You're welcome." The man cast a wider smile as he looked at the spearman.
As Motoyasu's vision became clearer while his brain started to process the foreign circumstance around him, he turned his head to find the most wanted man in Melromarc! Suiryu was among the last people he wanted to see, at least for the moment.
"S-s-s-s-senpai!" Motoyasu stuttered as his eyes widened in shock while his hands dragged him away from the shield hero, out of horror.
"Yo, Motoyasu-kun. Long time no see?" Suiryu kept smiling as he waved his hand.
The spear hero kept inching himself away until one of his hand slipped, tumbling his body and bringing him to a downward roll from atop of that mound. Before he rolled until the base, he felt two strong hands scooped him and he found himself carried by Suiryu like a princess! The embarrassing situation kept bubbling up as the shield hero dashed him to reclaim their previous thrones near the wall.
Suiryu once again put the blond gently and sat beside him. The shielder placed his hand on the spearman's shoulder to prevent him from running away again.
"Listen, Motoyasu-kun! I don't want to kill you or harm you in any way. I just want to talk." Suiryu put a serious expression although he spoke softly. "Just stay here and tell me everything."
"Eh?" The spear hero sported a dumbfounded look. "Really?"
"Yeah. What did you expect me to do?" Suiryu shrugged his shoulders. "Picking a fight with you? You're not in the shape for fighting at all. Killing you? Obviously, letting you drunk is enough to kill you."
"Ehehe…" Motoyasu scratched his cheek while putting a dopey smile as a fuzzy image of Borgo came into his mind. "Guess you're right."
Suiryu sighed. "Tell me Motoyasu-kun, actually what you've got into? Did you break up with the princess?"
It was just a hunch, but as a pro, Suiryu knew what most men would do if they lost a romantic connection. If the guy is strong, probably he will stand and search for another or choose a lonely life. If the guy is weak, many terrible things await. One of them is alcoholism.
"N-no…" Motoyasu widened his eyes for a moment, then shook his head. "But actually…"
"Yeah? I'm listening. Just tell me."
"I'm kinda lost." The spearman answered as he slouched his shoulders. "I don't wanna be a hero anymore."
"What do you mean?" The martial artist inquired as he frowned. "And why is that? You're still holding your spear. What's wrong? Now tell me!"
Motoyasu cast a glance at the starry sky above as he showed a gloomy look. "Well… Actually Malty wants me to venture out farther than the reachable towns to level up. Actually that's a very nice idea, so I agree. But since she's a princess, the king provided us with soldiers for the entourage."
The spear hero gulped as the shielder expected the bomb in his story. "Turned out, it's really scary! Many soldiers we brought were killed! Disease, monsters and bandits… They ate our men one by one. And one day… There was a girl among those knights in our last expedition. She's cute, diligent and I should admit, she's my type."
Motoyasu started to tremble as the terrible memory invaded his mind. "She's a new recruit, but she fought quite well. I guess she's an ex-adventurer. However… One day… When we went to the western mountain range… We got ambushed by a Rock Eater."
"You mean, that giant stony worm people are talking about?" Suiryu asked as he showed a sympathizing look.
"Yeah. That monster! Actually it was on my level range. Around level 35. I managed to reduce its HP until it remained a quarter and we blocked its escape route, but…" Motoyasu's tears began to wet his cheeks. "It went berserk and rushed over the barricade. And that girl… That girl… It snatched her with its thorny mouth! I still can remember her scream and her terrified face when it dragged her. She tried to struggle, but of course it was futile. It was so fast and I could do nothing."
"Then… and then… That monster ran to its den, flung the girl to a cliff on its way, killing her. I… I… Could see she was dead, but her face…" The spearman's lips quivered as he felt a phantom chill shrouded his body. "When I saw her, it's like she was still alive. It's like she wanted to scream at me to say: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, HERO!? NOW I'M DEAD. IT'S YOUR FAULT! It's horrible!"
"I see. I'm so sorry to hear that." Suiryu put a somber look as he rubbed Motoyasu's back.
'So that's why he fell into alcoholism. Much to be expected from those who came from a peaceful world. Poor boy...' The former Neo Hero executive mused as he put a sympathizing look at the spear-boy.
"I've failed as a hero!" Motoyasu bellowed. "I failed to protect people!"
"But at least you've tried your best." Suiryu reasoned to ease the spear hero. "You know–"
"TRY!?" The spear wielder almost yelled with his hoarse voice as his hands suddenly put Suiryu into a choke-hold. "You never know how painful it is to lose a person!"
Suiryu's eyes narrowed into a frown. As a pro hero, he had his fair share of seeing people's death in daily basis. The way Motoyasu talked back, it reminded him to the time when he gave his trashy advice to Saitama. Now after he became a hero, his past action felt stupid and annoying. Perhaps he should knock some senses into Motoyasu, in a rather hard way if need be.
Suiryu forcefully unhanded himself from the hold and slapped Motoyasu, hard enough to reduce his HP bar by 10 percent. The martial artist had had enough with the spear hero's wimpy mentality.
"ARGH…! That hurts!" The spearman writhed in pain as he tried to get up.
"Look Motoyasu! Did you hear that I was a mercenary?" Suiryu sent a murderous glare, scaring Motoyasu out of his mind. "If you think I never know how's the feeling when I lost some person, you're totally wrong! Just let me tell you, I was paid to fight something awful while everywhere people were dying!"
Suiryu tossed his Neo Hero communicator to Motoyasu. It was the last piece of technology from his world he still kept and well functioning. He did not want to explain about hero's job the long way, so he let the blond confirm by himself about how terrifying the job could be.
"Smartphone!? What's the deal–" The spearman almost argued as he still holding his throbbing cheek.
"Open that thing and you'll know who I was!"
Under Suiryu's threatening gaze, Motoyasu reluctantly took the smartphone. His thumb tapped the screen and found an array of icons a normal phone would possess. The wallpaper was the logo of Neo Hero Association which he did not really pay mind to. Intuitively, he pressed the photo gallery icon and there, he found a myriad of destruction footage, caused by creatures which only existed in games and movies.
The images of men, women and even children killed mercilessly by monsters filled the gallery. The sight was surreal and unnerving. It was chaotic and terrible in all sense. Even the bloodiest war could never rival the atrocities imposed upon those poor souls and the cursed planet they dwelt in.
"So, is this... Real?" Motoyasu asked as his face paled.
"Yeah. Unfortunately that's real." Suiryu admitted as he nodded his head. "It's the place where I came from."
The idea of someone who faked a ton of video about catastrophe seemed impossible, so Motoyasu browsed some more footage to convince himself on what he was seeing. And at last, he came into a realization that Suiryu was not joking when he told his own world, back after the summoning. He really came from a world where monsters ran rampant.
"I… I see…" Motoyasu's shoulders drooped in regret. "So, you really came from a world similar to this one. And you fought monsters."
"Yeah. That's the truth."
"I'm sorry..." Motoyasu cast a glance at the ground as he returned the phone. "Senpai."
Suiryu's lips curled up into a faint smile. At least his words did not go in vain. His talks had likely shed a light in the blond's mind about hero's job.
"Sorry for what?" The monk-fighter asked as he sat beside the spearman.
"For thinking that you're a cheater like what Ren and Itsuki do." Motoyasu halfheartedly tilted his head to face Suiryu.
"I see… Well. Just forget it." Suiryu shrugged and suddenly grinned as he slapped the spear hero's back, gaining a yelp. "And hey…! What's wrong with you? Come on, Motoyasu-kun, where's your spirit!? It's really unlike yourself, you know! Cheer up!"
The spear hero's lips slowly formed a smile. Suiryu's happy face lifted his spirit. In truth, he felt thankful since there was such person who could help him in his downtime.
"Honestly, I don't really mind if you think that I'm a game developer or something along those lines. But what I want to say is, we are heroes and we're doing the same job." Suiryu exclaimed as he patted Motoyasu's back comfortingly. "And yeah. Actually death is inevitable in our work, but at least we can minimize it. I know it's hard and that's why we should grow stronger in order we can save more people. So, keep up the good work, Motoyasu-kun."
"Thanks a lot, Suiryu-senpai..." The spear hero smiled as a shed of tear almost escaped his eyes, out of gratefulness.
"Just don't mention it. We're fellows after all. Let's just hang out some time."
"Sounds good. I'm looking forward to it." Motoyasu spoke and smiled as Suiryu chuckled.
There was a moment of silence as the two heroes let the night breeze calmed them. The night grew quiet as the light of the moon quenched their ill emotions. It was so solemn that Suiryu dozed off, prompted an alarm of his sense of time as he woke up.
"Are you going back now?" Motoyasu asked when he saw Suiryu got up to stand.
"Yeah. Gonna catch some sleep. I'm beat." Suiryu replied as he yawned. "What about you?"
"I guess I'll stay here for a while."
"Very well. Then, see ya, Motoyasu-kun." Suiryu walked away.
"See you and good night, Senpai." Motoyasu waved as he smiled. "Thanks for all. Now I feel much better."
"You're welcome." Suiryu also waved as he smiled. "And glad to hear that."
The monk-fighter who had just took three steps from the elevated ground suddenly recalled something. His gears in his mind had just born an idea which probably would save him much time and energy. It was something regarding Aultcray's crown.
"Oh, Motoyasu-kun… Before I leave, can I ask you a favor?" Suiryu turned around as he faced the spear hero once again.
"And what is that?" Motoyasu stood as he came closer to Suiryu. "I guess it's something really important, no?"
Suiryu took his shield from his back and retrieved the royal symbol. "I want you to return this to His Majesty."
"Wha– That's…" The spear hero slack-jawed upon seeing the king's possession.
Motoyasu stared at the crown, then to Suiryu. It was unexpected, yet he felt uncomfortable to refuse the shield hero's request. After all, he had troubled the monk-fighter and it was not a hard matter since he was the man whom Aultcray's daughter party-up with. Talking to her daddy perhaps was not a big deal.
"What's wrong? If you can't do it, I'll do it by myself." Suiryu took back the crown as he waited Motoyasu's answer.
"Oh… No, no, no… I'll do it. Don't worry, I'll bring this to him." Motoyasu assured as he raised his hand.
"Thanks a bunch, Motoyasu-kun." Suiryu handed the crown. "But, are you going to say something? Are you surprised?"
"Uh, yeah. Why you give it back to him?"
"Because it belongs to him, obviously." Suiryu answered the certain thing as he put a wry smile. "Do you think I was really planning to sell that thing? Of course I won't. I'll be damned if I did a robbery. I'm not that kind of guy, you know. Then, good luck. I'm counting on you."
"Uhm…" Motoyasu stared at Suiryu who was leaving him. "Okay, senpai."
"Oh yeah. And send my best regards to the princess." Suiryu waved his hand without looking back.
"Oh… Uhm." Motoyasu almost could not utter anything as his mind was still processing something and found one important matter to recall. "Oh, wait, Senpai!"
"Hmm? What?" Suiryu turned around to see Motoyasu walked down the mound.
"I don't know whether this is a good idea or not, but I just want to tell you that tomorrow night, the palace will hold a banquet." Motoyasu informed.
Suiryu thought that it was some sort of party to celebrate the safe return of the heroes form the second Wave. He knew it since it was too cliché, just like in films. Actually he did not have any plan in mind to attend such kind of festivities, yet he thought that the event might be the best chance to see the progress of other heroes. Should he engage them in a fight, he could make an easier escape route through the VIPs.
"Hmm, a banquet?" Suiryu hummed. "To celebrate your success?"
"Yeah. Sort of. Are you going to come, perhaps?" Motoyasu asked as he looked at Suiryu with a small expectation on his face. "Though unfortunately, I won't be able to help you, given your circumstance."
'A party, huh? I guess we'll need some costumes. Then I'll just see the tailor lady once again.' Suiryu's flashed a rather devilish smile as he thought about his plan to join the party. 'Dealing with Aultcray once again? Well, I think I can handle him.'
"Sounds interesting. I'll consider to come then." The martial artist smiled really wide. "Thanks, Motoyasu-kun. Your info is a great help. I appreciate it."
"Eh?" The spear hero could only put a perplexed look in response, wondering about what was running in the monk-fighter's mind.
At eight o'clock in the evening, a man who donned in a black tailcoat tuxedo with a top hat, a black mantle and a pair of ropers boots entered the gate of Castle Melromarc. Together with him were two demi-humans dressed in maidservant uniform, black in color with white apron and shortened skirt, just below the knees. The one with weasel trait had her short yellow hair tied into a ponytail while her raccoon friend did her long brown locks into a braid.
Blending in with some guests who chose to walk, they entered the castle. The man led his servants directly to the main hall of the palace where a party was being held.
Like most people would expect from a party hosted by a royal family, long tables with luxurious dishes were set neatly under the dazzling light which illuminated the room while music was played to cheer the guests. It was truly a big event to celebrate some heroes for their success after a great mission.
Upon entering the grand chamber, almost all eyes were aimed at these certain guests as chattering became louder. Never had they seen this man, who in their view, was very good looking and elegant, yet possessing a weird taste for his choice to bring along his beastly assistants. In Melromarc, it was still a taboo to let a slave linger with a master.
Among the people who saw them, three young men who wore their adventurer's gear stared at them with wide eyes. These young men who were the wielders of holy weapons could not contain their surprise since they knew who the dandy man really was. They never expected that he would partake in this banquet.
"Is that…?" The bow hero looked at the man with shocked look which turned into a furious frown.
"Suiryu! That cheater! The nerve of him to come here!" The sword hero hissed as he gritted his teeth.
Oddly, the spear hero did not share the contempt towards the shield hero. His face even brightened up when he saw the man who had helped him, just a night prior. It appeared that he had gained his usual carefree self, much to the shielder's relief.
"Senpai! Wel–" Motoyasu's words clogged at the edge of his throat as he froze on his track.
"A-animal girls...!?" Itsuki's eyes bulged like a pair of saucers when they saw Suiryu's servants.
"Maid? Impossible!" Ren muttered under his breath upon registering the disciples' outfit.
Ren's mouth was agape, Itsuki's nose bled while Motoyasu… Well, his nostrils sprayed blood, literally! Although the maid dress was designed to cover the wearer's womanly feature really well, their otherworldly beauty blew the boys' mind away! Suffice to say that if the monk-fighter counted it as a competition with those heroes, he had won the first round.
Suiryu nonchalantly adjusted his top hat as he saw the boys tried to look away, save the spear hero. As he had expected, Motoyasu then ran like a madman to have a closer look at his disciples, as if they were wares in a shop display.
The master obviously would not let such transgression violated the ladies he had taken care of like his own daughters. Suiryu would take his role to shield Rifana and Raphtalia from the hands of the spearman who had just recovered from his PTSD.
"Glad to see you again, Motoyasu-kun." Suiryu held the spear hero on his place by gripping his shoulder as his smile became dry. "And I'm happy you're in full spirit again, but you should hold your horse, okay."
"ARGH! You're so mean, Senpai! Why you didn't tell me that you have these girls!?" Motoyasu whined as his hands relentlessly tried to reach the disciples. "It's not fair, you know!? If only you showed them to me earlier, I don't need to drown myself in alcohol! OOHHH!"
Raphtalia and Rifana who inched themselves away from both men cringed in disgust. They just realized that the spear hero was such a detestable man, unlike their master.
"Is that the spear hero? Yikes!" Rifana silently spat as she looked at how his hands were still flailing.
"How can such kind of man be a hero? Disgusting!" Raphtalia muttered her harsh remark as she rolled her eyes from the unsightly behavior of Motoyasu.
Meanwhile, as the sword and spear boys talked about the unexpected arrival of Suiryu while gawking at him, the princess of Melromarc came over to stop the spear hero from embarrassing himself further. His stunt had gained a commotion among the nobles as they started to murmur their disrespect towards him.
"Lord Motoyasu, would you like to stop this! You are only putting yourself into a shame and tarnish your name." Malty warned as she pulled the spear hero from Suiryu's grip. "We are so sorry for the inconvenience, dear Sir. I believe Lord Motoyasu did not mean to– HAH… YOU! YOU!"
Malty at last recognized Suiryu, the last person in the world she wanted to meet, ever! Of all time and place, why it must be now at her own domicile? Her rage boiled instantly the moment her green eyes caught the curve of his lips and glistening blue eyes. And once again, the raging inferno clashed with the cool water!
"Greetings, Princess. It is good to see you again." The shield hero bowed as he put off his hat, out of dry formality.
"Hoh, what a decent mannered young man!"
"I haven't seen him, but he must be an aristocrat from a high standing."
"I wonder who is that man. Such personality! I think I will let him propose to my daughter..."
Suiryu's con-artist mode earned him some praises from the nobles. Truthfully, he wanted to laugh at how ridiculously successful his new disguise was, but he suppressed it into a wide smile which rained him even more compliment and made many young ladies blush, much to Malty's ire.
On the other hand, Rifana and Raphtalia only looked at the transpiring event with astonishment and a sense of uneasiness, for the nobles regarded them with disdainful glares. Before they departed to attend the party, Suiryu had warned them that the place was filled with people who hated demi-human. Now, they experienced it and only their Master's smile which calmed them from the depressing vibes.
"Ogre! Of all people, why it must be YOU!?" Malty snarled as she pointed her finger at Suiryu.
"Please calm yourself, Princess. Is it wrong for me to join this event?" Suiryu chuckled lightly as he raised his hands defensively before his former companion. "I am one among the four heroes, remember?"
"Yes. But you are not supposed to be the one!" Malty hissed as she glared at Suiryu.
"Oh, that's too bad. If only your country didn't summon me, actually I got a much better job in my own world." The shielder teasingly grinned and turned to the spear hero whom slightly paled upon the mention of his old world.
"GRR…!" The redhead ground her teeth audibly. "Cursed you! And why you bring these filthy beasts into this palace!?"
"Pardon me, did you say something?" Suiryu tried to stay cool when he heard the insult on his disciples.
"Why you dare to bring these damn demi-humans!? You are going to soil this place!" Malty pointed at Rifana as she spilled her hatred, earning a frown from Suiryu.
"And Lord Motoyasu, please never let yourself bewitched by something lower than human." The red-haired liar clung onto Motoyasu as she preached some toxic advice. "They are but abomination and source of disease for high human race like us."
Rifana was literally fuming at such remark. She clenched her fist really hard and was ready to punch Malty's face. In response, Suiryu quickly turned to her, stopping her from any rash action. She turned to Raphtalia and got a knowing shook of her head. She should admit that her raccoon-friend had a better control over her emotion. She bit back her anger and relented as she sighed.
"Oh, honestly, I wonder what I am still lacking as a lady compared to these lesser beings." Malty exclaimed rhetorically as she made a pose like a photo model before Motoyasu.
The spearman's brain at that moment was not responding as his eyes trailed off to Rifana's most outstanding feature and suddenly muttered, "Boobs."
Rifana's face turned red as she caught the spear hero's unintentional, yet lecherous stare. She got utterly offended at such harassment and could not restrain her anger anymore. In return, she slugged a sucker punch right at his stomach, sending him flying.
"GUAHHH…!" Motoyasu was thrown and landed on the marble floor, skidding on his back and got his HP bar dropped to 95% as he came into a stop.
"Lord Motoyasu, NOO!" Malty squealed as she ran to her hero.
The party attendees gasped at the sight of the spear hero who all of sudden was lying supine with a funny expression. Meanwhile, Raphtalia covered her mouth in shock as her friend still shot a glare at the fallen spear hero.
"S-s-senpai… Please forgive me..." Motoyasu muttered weakly as Ren and Itsuki came to help him to stand. "And girl, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."
"Take that! You, perverted jackass!" Rifana gritted her teeth as she was still raising her fist.
Suiryu at this point was totally screwed up. Rifana's reaction escaped his attention since for a moment, he got distracted. Once again, he made a mistake like what he did when facing Gouketsu. It was either he was busied by other thing or Rifana's reaction became much faster as she leveled up. Although he deemed her act as justifiable, as a master, he should take a full responsibility for her action.
The attendees began to murmur as the heroes came over the girl's guardian. Although Motoyasu did not seem to bear any sign of anger, Ren and Itsuki were different. The swordsman and archer-boy would not take this incident lightly.
"What do you mean by this, Suiryu!? Are you going to pick a fight!?" Itsuki shot his anger as cast a venomous glare at the monk-fighter.
"Answer us, jerk!" Ren also lashed out his flare at the champion.
"Hey, hey… Guys, calm down, would ya?" Motoyasu surprisingly tried to lessen the tension. "Suiryu-senpai is just coming here to say hello. It's no big deal. Besides, it was my fault."
Suiryu could only blink in a exasperation as Rifana was still scowling. The pressure in the air dropped for a moment, but the suspicion then shifted towards the spear hero as Ren and Itsuki glared at him. The idea that Motoyasu was siding with Suiryu was not impossible, based on the fact that they shared a hobby.
"Kitamura-san, are you saying that you're friend with that flesh golem?" The swordsman cast a judgmental look at the spear-wielder.
"Don't tell us that he's bleached your brain!" Itsuki concluded as he leered accusingly at Motoyasu.
'Cursed! There must be a possibility that the stick moron met with that damn ogre somewhere.' Malty suddenly widened her eyes as she found her answer. 'That's it! He often wandered off to the town after the last expedition. That idiot! He drown himself in a drunken debauch after sundown to return with bumps and cuts in the morning! They must have met during that time! Oh, dear me, how can I miss this!?'
"Hey guys, why all of sudden you give me that look? Chill, men! I just wanna see Suiryu-senpai. What's wrong with that?" Motoyasu retorted as he turned around to look at the people.
The situation would not go any better at this point. Everyone was on edge and things might escalate into a fight at any moment. Suiryu on the other hand tried to stay calm as he thought about how he should help Motoyasu. This shift of event had proven that the spear hero helped him as best as he could. He felt obliged to pay the kindness.
"What is this ruckus all about!?" The question came from none other than the person Suiryu earned his bad reputation.
Aultcray Melromarc The 32nd suddenly made his appearance from above a stairway. Together with his ministers, he made his descend, all the while letting his extravagantly embroidered cloaked draped on the floor. For a moment, he maintained his composure, but when his eyes landed on the very man who "borrowed" his crown for some days, he staggered on his track as his face reddened in rage.
"S-S-SHIELD!" The king gnashed his teeth as he pointed his finger accusingly at the dandy guest. "You, evil-doer! How dare you enter this place after you conducted an unforgivable sin!"
"Impossible!? Is he the shield devil?"
"I never know that!"
"So, he is an impersonator? But how?"
The attendees murmured their disbelieve and shock. However, since Suiryu kept hiding his shield under his black cloak, they were left in wondering without any certain answer. Besides, there was no one who forced him to reveal his identity. Even the guards did not bat an eye at him.
Despite facing a difficult situation under the King's pressure, the shield hero did not falter. After all, it was not as dire as facing a dragon-level threat monster and his foe was still bound to flesh and bones, so there was nothing to worry about. His prior experience when dealing with the grumpy ruler also taught him many things. Basically, this was just a repetition.
"Oh, indeed. What an insolence I had conducted! However, it appears that the celebrated man over here has managed to return the sacred talisman safely to you, Your Highness." Suiryu bowed as he gestured his arms in a welcoming manner to Motoyasu who got flustered, then flashed a dopey smile.
The king's scowl went even deeper upon hearing Suiryu's answer. He turned to his adviser and got some whispers which turned his lips to form a faint smirk. Fortunately, his subordinates were chosen men who could devise a quick plan to deal with his enemies.
"I see. It is a fact that the Spear Hero managed to return my crown. But I will not let your impudence go without punishment." Aultcray's voice echoed in that room. "That is why, as the divine emissaries, the sword, spear and bow heroes have the right to decide what kind of penance you should take for your sin."
Ren and Itsuki turned to each other. They also had their own plan they discussed earlier and Aultcay's decree came at the perfect time. An identical mischievous grin suddenly rose on their face as they regarded the shield hero once again.
"You hear that, Amaki-kohai? We get a new quest." Itsuki smirked as his fingers pulled his bowstring on his chest playfully.
"Yeah. We get a new job. What do you think?" Ren mimicked the bowman's expression as his thumb tapped his sword's pommel.
The tide shifted and Suiryu was expecting an ugly outcome. He never knew that it would go this far. If he had a chance to run, maybe he would take it like what he did after his failed endeavor with Gouketsu. Unfortunately, that was not the case since everything was different from his plan.
"Well, then. What about if we settle this with a duel?" Itsuki inquired as his smirk grew wider.
"Yeah. Last time, you could subdue the knights without breaking a sweat, right? How about you fight us three?" Ren raised his eyebrow cockily as he looked at Suiryu's level which was only 21, half of his own. "I wonder what kind of cheat you can dish out for heroes like us. Or, is your program bugging?"
Cold sweat dripped on the monk-fighter's cheek. He still did not know how this would turn out. He was still aware that in term of level, he was obviously in a disadvantage. His last hope which still kept him cool was none other than the fact that Motoyasu was still vulnerable to his slap and Rifana's punch. Unfortunately, that could not guarantee that the fight would be favorable.
"Hoh? Are you chicken? What about we make a wager to make this thing more entertaining?" The bow hero caressed his chin as he eyed the two disciples who suddenly shot a glare at him. "If we win, we confiscate your maids. If you win, you can still run with them. Sounds fair, doesn't it?"
Now, that had gone too far. Putting his disciples as a sacrifice was nothing he had put in mind. He brought them under the pretense that people might think that they were merely unwanted slaves who did not hold any value for a bargain. But turned out, his adversary were nastier than he thought. His initial escape plan proved to be futile at this point.
In that depressing swirling thought, Suiryu suddenly felt two hands held his own. He looked to his side to see Rifana was smiling knowingly with Raphtalia behind her, putting an encouraging smile. Gone all his hesitance and worry to face the obstacle before him as his courage rose. He knew, his daughters would always be at his side. This kind of thing would not stop him.
'If there's a will, there's a way.' The monk-fighter remembered his grand-father's wise words and let it ring in his mind as he steeled his will.
"Very well. I'll accept your challenge." Suiryu's hand balled into a fist as he faced the three hero with a flaring determination on his face.
Suiryu's look suddenly bore an overwhelming and indescribable aura which pushed back the tide into some extent. Ren and Itsuki could not hide their nervousness when they saw his serious look. Both boys had never seen the fire of a true warrior. It shook them to their core!
"O… Oi… Are you guys serious about this?" Motoyasu asked in hesitance as he looked at the people around him.
The spear hero felt somewhat guilty for putting the shielder into this mess. Should he calm himself and meet Suiryu without making a trouble, he would never drag the shield hero into this problem. Moreover, he could avoid any ensuing accusation and mistrust from the other heroes. However, there was no turning back anymore since he should decide whether he would join Itsuki and Ren to secure his status, or banding up with Suiryu and branded as a traitor for the rest of his stay in this world.
"Fret not, Motoyasu-kun. Let's just consider this as a friendly match." Suiryu shrugged as his confident smile came back.
"But–" Motoyasu could never finish his complain since the sword and bow heroes glared again at him as Aultcray suddenly cleared his throat, ready to speak.
"Then since it is decided that the heroes might settle this dispute with a battle, head to the arena and commence the fight!" The king's decree echoed in that chamber, signing the sanctioned fight to enliven that night!
"Lord Shield Hero, rest assured. We will make sure that your companions will be safe under our watch."
"And how should I trust you?"
"I do believe that you have heard about the dispute in the body of the knight."
"Then I suppose you are on my side, no?"
"We are your proponent. We obey the words of Her Majesty who desires nothing but synergy and harmony between the heroes. All for the sake of this world's future. To stop the Wave of Calamity."
"The Queen, huh? So much to think about… Very well then. I will put my disciples under your care, but I have one condition."
"And what is that, Milord?"
"If I lose this fight, let them run."
"If that is the case, then I will cover their retreat."
"And you know that if you fail..."
"Hell awaits me."
Suiryu found himself in a dark, winding passage which led to an arena. As he walked, the agreement he made with Genevieve was still ringing in his mind. It was his only way to protect Rifana and Raphtalia if he lose to the kids. He only hoped that it was the worst case scenario.
Some minutes prior, the said lady who was the head of the royal library met him in person, or rather with well-hidden escorts. As they discussed about how to protect the girls, the presence of the people who concealed themselves in the shadow never escaped his senses. As soon as they came into agreement, those ninjas scrambled from the place. Indeed, it was a very unique encounter which luckily amp up his senses before the fight.
Light from torches were illuminating the place the moment Suiryu entered the arena. Before him, the three heroes were waiting. On the higher places akin to bleachers, the nobles were murmuring. Among them, Aultcray sat on his own ornate seat with his lackeys around him. Like usual, a deep scowl never left the king's face.
The monk fighter then tilted his head to his right side from the King's place and found that Rifana and Raphtalia were sitting under the full watch of the fully armed knights. However, near them were Genevieve and the three knights he had beaten on the second day. These four people were the party he had a deal with. They smiled at him and he smiled in return. He only hoped that they would fulfill their promise.
As the other heroes prepared themselves by checking their menu, he put off his tailcoat and tossed it together with his mantle and top hat to his side, garnering gasps and curses from the nobles when they saw the shield he had hid on his back. Without minding their reactions, he focused on the fight. He anticipated that he might go all-out, so he should remove any articles which could hinder him in combat.
Before they started the 3 vs 1 match, Suiryu took his time to perform some warming up moves. As he made some stretches, the other heroes only posed a befuddled look at his preparation. Since physical activity was not their ace, their logic as gamer could not reach the mind of an athlete.
Suiryu took a deep breath as he braced himself while waiting the signal of the commencement. He only wished that he could do his best and saved his dear disciples. This was indeed a hard trial to determine his resolve and patience as a hero.
"S-suiryu…! Admit your defeat!" Ren tried to intimidate the champion albeit with a palpable sign of nervousness.
"Tonight, we'll crush a cheater like you, once and for all!" Itsuki managed to spoke without missing a beat.
Motoyasu could not utter anything as his mind was being occupied by the thought of a brutal beating from his senior. Among the kids, he was the only one who had slurped the first taste of Suiryu's might.
"Well, let's see later." Suiryu replied as he smiled while he cracked his neck to complete his stretching.
No more than a minute later, a trumpet was blown, marking the start of the battle. Ren and Motoyasu immediately charged forward toward Suiryu. They poised their weapon as they ran side by side, letting out a courageous battle cry. The shield hero even wavered upon seeing it as he racked his brain to perceive what was really going on.
'Oh…NO, NO, NO! This can't be serious, right?' Suiryu dropped his jaw in an exasperation and a slight horror. 'They're…'
A sense of dread struck Suiryu. His opponents were freaking him out because…
'...EXTREMELY SLOWWW!' The martial artist shouted in his thought as he dodged Ren's slash and Motoyasu's thrust to his side without much effort.
A low tier martial artist like Zakos probably had so much time to evade such attack. It made Suiryu wonder about how this kind of horrible gap could occur. These kids were around 40s in level, but their stats were likely much lower than him, so low that perhaps they were around the average level of B-Class heroes in terms of speed. It turned out that his anxiety was pointless.
A new realization regarding their skill then hit Suiryu as Motoyasu and Ren went on to swing their respective weapon erratically. Their attack was far from refined and spoke about how amateurish they were. Up until this point, his expectation kept dropping towards the bottom. Neither speed, nor technique did they posses to fight him. A thought that these kids were only pushovers threatening to occur in his mind.
Then what about strength and durability? He still remembered about how he hurt Motoyasu with just a simple slap. Rifana's stunt included. If a mere smack and punch could harm the spear hero, how about his kick? Probably he should try it later after he tested these kids a little bit longer in hope that they could unleash something which might prove that he was wrong.
"[Rapid Slash]!" Ren uttered as he unleashed a flurry of slashes with his saber.
"[Rapid Trust]!" Motoyasu used a similar move as he shoved his spear rapidly, almost turning it into blur.
"Hup..." Suiryu in response jumped 20 meters into the air to avoid the attack, making the watcher hung their jaw in awe.
The martial artist made a flip and landed gracefully, only to get another barrage of attacks from the kids who grew agitated. It appeared that they still stored their more advanced move in reserve since they kept striking him that way.
Around half a minute passed as he kept evading slashes and thrusts from the bladed heroes. He even did not need to move his body fully to avoid any hit. He could see bulging veins on their faces as he let all their strikes missed their mark.
The bow hero then took a pause given by the swordsman and spearman to shoot the shielder. The shield hero subsequently only moved his head slightly, straying a head-shot. He turned his head to look at the shooter and got a frown from the kid.
"Kawasumi-senpai! How could you miss it!?" Ren shouted as he distanced himself and changed his saber into a rapier-like blade. "That's your chance! And Kitamura-san, I saw you're slacking!"
"What!? Where did you put your eyes, Ren!" Motoyasu barked as he morphed his spear into the one with a double-bladed black halberd. "My attacks were even faster than yours!"
"Tsck!" Itsuki clicked his tongue as he pulled his bow's string, materializing an arrow.
Another shot came and Suiryu used his small shield to block it casually. The force from the attack only managed to produce a clang, a sign that it was too weak.
"Damn you! Actually what are YOU!" Itsuki lost his cool and snarled as he sent another shot.
"Me? Just a simple guy who loves an easy life." Suiryu dodged the arrow and spoke nonchalantly as he shrugged before he turned his attention to Motoyasu. "So Motoyasu-kun, what do you think about this fight?"
The spearman was annoyed but did not have any hard feeling towards the shielder. He even found that Suiryu's question was funny, cooling him down from his failure to land a single hit on the monk-fighter.
"Mehahaha…." The spear hero suddenly laughed. "Rather than the fight, I guess it's more about you. I should admit, Senpai, you're not a cheater, because you're the cheat himself!"
It was very unlikely, but Motoyasu's remark was rather cryptic. The other heroes could not help but wonder about the meaning behind his words as they took the intermission in that battle.
"Kitamura-san, what do you mean!?" Ren demanded as he frowned at Motoyasu.
"Cheat?" Suiryu raised his brow as he smiled. "Care to explain, Motoyasu-kun? I'm not really into games, you know."
"Alright." Motoyasu raised his shoulders. "Frankly speaking, the Shield Hero came from a world where monsters ravaged his planet. So, it's no surprise if he gets decent stats from the beginning."
His deduction was based on the fact he got from the Neo Hero smartphone about Suiryu's profile which confirmed his inhuman feats. As ridiculous as it was, that was the only thing which convinced the spear hero about the shielder. His mindset as a gamer could think nothing other than that possibility.
"" WHAT!? "" Ren and Itsuki muttered at the same time.
Even some noblemen who watched the fight from their seats also gasped at such revelation. Motoyasu's words seemed to debunk their belief in the legends about the saint heroes.
"Maybe you won't believe it, but that's what I know." Motoyasu concluded as Suiryu nodded. "If you think I'm talking nonsense, then just ask him."
Meanwhile, Rifana and Raphtalia smiled as they heard the spearman's explanation. They felt relieved that their master earned a trust from another hero.
"So, are we going to continue this fight?" Suiryu asked as he glanced at each heroes. "I think we should not let our spectators wait any longer."
The sword and bow heroes for a moment were stunned, almost unable to process the revelation. They could not believe that such kind of thing could happen. And of all people, why it must be the shielder? However, their mind could not think it thoroughly since they were still in combat, avoiding their abilities to ponder.
"Since I'm just following Ren-kun, I think I'll go as long as he's in." Motoyasu quickly answered as he raised his hand.
"Guess I don't have any choice. I'll see this till the end." Itsuki spoke with a determination as his hand clenched his bow.
Ren in return let out a sigh. "It's my idea in the first place, so I won't back off. But there's one condition I want to offer."
"Oh… Mention it, Ren-kun." Suiryu said as his hand gestured to let the swordsman speak out his demand.
"No dodging!"
A silence for a moment claimed that arena. Some murmurs then began to live up that place once again as the three heroes stared at the shielder while waiting for his answer.
"Then, I suppose I should use my shield to block your attacks." Suiryu inferred as he put his shield on his left wrist while smiling. "That's fine by me."
"Eh?" Motoyasu slightly hung his jaw as he predicted some outcomes if Suiryu was restricted to either defending or attacking.
'This is bad… His slap can even send me flying.' Motoyasu shuddered as he recalled the moment when Suiryu lectured him. 'It hurts like hell and I never know how he fought out there!'
Now, Motoyasu tried to think seriously about how he should face the wild-romance-senpai. Winning was impossible despite their number. He only hoped that he could at least survive in this gonna be a one-sided fight.
Shielder class in RPG was either non existent or rarely used, merely because it was some sort of support tank in which knight or paladin could take the role. Despite its absurd amount of defense, its low speed and an almost zero attack would burden the party it was in. All in all, that class was only good to block a route in a retreat attempt while becoming a sacrifice for its comrades. That was as far as Motoyasu knew.
From what he observed so far however, Suiryu was likely a composite of a monk-fighter and a shielder. His claim that he was specialized in hand-to-hand combat; killing a horse with one blow – though no confirmed yet; disabling two knights, a berserker and a magic caster far above his level; disarming ten knights in a blink... All bare-handed? That was enough to prove that he was a monk-fighter, and a totally broken one! Added with the holy shield, he was an armed lightning-speed moving fortress!
Unfortunately, the sword and bow heroes only put their ego as their driving force to defeat the shield-wielder. Pride and rage as gamer blinded their logic. They wanted to eliminate the cancer in a gaming world without knowing in advance who their opponent really was. Motoyasu was in an unfavorable situation.
"So you've got what I said, jerk? Good." Ren spoke curtly as he rolled his eyes while flashing a condescending smirk. "At least your rotten brain is still functional."
Suiryu's eye twitched at such insult. Perhaps he should give the swordsman a good beating after this. At least to teach him a lesson to respect the older guys.
As Ren was still smirking, he spaced his legs and ran, circling the arena. He stole the start and his feet brought him into a 30 km/h sprint. His rapier glowed green as he slashed the air repeatedly, producing a barrage of arch-like magical projectiles.
"[Rapid Air Slash]!" The swordsman shouted his chant as he aimed his attack at the standing martial artist. "Hahaha…! Take this, idiot! You think your cheat can save you!? You've fall for my trap! I'll mince you now!"
Motoyasu who saw such recklessness swiftly jumped away from Ren's line of fire. As he ground his teeth in irk, he glanced at Suiryu who did not budge even an inch from his standing place. It was as if he had accepted his fate.
The spear hero got an answer the moment the first magical projectile landed. Obeying the rule, Suiryu moved his shielded arm to block the incoming barrage which turned into some gust. The monk-fighter covered himself with his tiny shield from the wind blasts and automatically, a transparent spherical aura engulfed him. None of Ren's attack fazed him and his HP bar did not decrease at all, thanks to the protective aura.
"Oh, man…! What a vicious wind! I can catch a cold." Suiryu jokingly remarked as he patted the wrinkles on his white shirt.
"What the–" Ren's words was cut by Itsuki who switched his weapon into a menacing looking compound bow.
The archer-boy aimed his bow towards the sky and pulled the string while shouting, "[Arrow Shower]!"
As the name implied, a shower of arrows came from above like a machine gun fire. In reflex, Suiryu moved his shield onto his right sole and quickly performed the super-sonic kicks he used to test Saitama, upwards. His kicks even outran the raining arrows while the wind it produced obstructed people's view due the blown dust. Even more, the tempest from his leg movement could throw the arrows off from their course due to its power!
As the dust cleared, everybody could see Suiryu who was raising his right leg high with his shield stuck on his boot's sole. The spectator's mouth unhinged at the sight since they had never seen such ability and unique pose. Ohs and and Wows then echoed in that arena.
"Unbelievable!"
"So, that is why he is called a demon!"
"Maybe he is a demon, but his ability is par excellence! Oh dear, why I started to think that he is the real hero?"
"Man… Arrows? That's dangerous." Suiryu lowered his leg as he took his shield to place it back on his arm.
"GRRR… DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME!" Ren burst into wrath as he charged forth towards Suiryu with much greater speed than before and another form of sword.
Suiryu readied a quick stance as he cocked back his shielded arm. Earlier, he had set his shield on his fist and the moment Ren was on a range to deliver a wide slash, he thrust his aegis like he did a punch. The two holy weapons clashed, producing a spark and air blast, yet due to their wielder's difference in power, one of them was pushed back. Added with the recoil from the sword's slash, Suiryu's thrust managed to throw Ren backwards. His back slammed the ground as pain crept onto his arms.
"What the hell is this power? Gaah…! It hurts!" Ren winced as his arms suffered an aching spasm while his HP bar decreased to 77%.
Motoyasu witnessed the terrifying event as his eyes widened. As he had expected, Suiryu was a totally broken player who could even return the force from a strike with mere physical strength! The spearman was conflicted whether he should engage the shielder or not.
Motoyasu for a moment looked at his fellows. Ren was still trying to stand as Itsuki sent a magical arrow which Suiryu's shield deflected without much problem. The others were fighting, yet what was he doing? Only becoming another spectator? Was he afraid? He shrugged such thought and shook his head as he readied his spear. Maybe he was a joiner, yet he should also fight to prove himself that he was a man, at least.
"I'm so sorry, Senpai. I should do this." Motoyasu muttered as he ran to charge towards Siuryu.
At the same time, Ren was also initiating his run to strike the monk-fighter as soon as he recovered from the shock. Both heroes' weapons glowed blue as they dashed with all their might.
"[Meteor Slash]!" Ren shouted his move's name as he raised his sword over his head.
"[Meteor Thrust]!" Motoyasu also did the same, with his spear on his chest level.
From Suiryu's side, Ren took the two o'clock attack angle while Motoyasu charged from the ten o'clock. The monk-fighter smirked as the two fighters came into him head-on.
Utilizing his advantage in body size and nimbleness, the martial artist sent a roundhouse kick to the swordsman's stomach before he could even unleash the magical blow. The force knocked out all air in Ren's lungs and brought him into a brief flight before he crashed onto a pillar at the edge of the arena. The swordsman lost his consciousness as he slid down while his HP was drained to 42%.
"REN!" Itsuki shouted in horror when he saw the fainted sword hero.
""LORD REN!"" The swordsman's companions screamed from their place.
"Oops… My bad." Suiryu muttered as he proceeded to subdue the unsuspecting spearman.
Meanwhile, Motoyasu who was too late to register what happened to his friend got his spear smacked with the shield to his right side. As his system rendered a cancellation for [Meteor Thrust], he suddenly saw Suiryu raised his leg, feigning a stomp, only to step on his spear's handle his hands were still clutching. In that split second however, the dandy senpai managed to bring him onto his knees, subduing him effectively.
"IIYAAAAAAAAAAH…!" Motoyasu yelped a loud and embarrassing cry as his spear's shaft clipped his fingers onto the floor.
"LORD MOTOYASU!" The redhead who watched from the side gasped as her face slowly contorted into a grimace when seeing how lame and shameful her hero had become.
The spectators also flinched when they saw Motoyasu flailed his head and body in agony as Suiryu conveniently pressed his sleek black boot on the fingers-cushioned pole, making some squeak. The torment on the spear hero did not end there since the shielder was cruelly sporting an innocent smile upon his junior's suffering. The said junior lost 15% of his HP because of this special treatment!
"OOOHHH….I'MSOSORRYI'MSOSORRYI'MSORRY!PLEASESENPAI!STOPTHIS!" Motoyasu pleaded in a quick-motion as he rubbed his cheek on Suiryu's leather boot while tears and snot comically gushed out from the orifices on his face. "… ITHURTS!I'LLDOANYTHING…!SO,PLEASE…STOP!IBEGYOU...SUIRYU-ONII-SAMAAA!"
"Oh, sorry… I can't hear you." Suiryu put his hand near his ear as his shielded arm casually brushed off Itsuki's explosive arrows.
"PLEASESUIRYU-ONII-SAMA...STOP!THISHURTS!"
Meanwhile on the spectator's seat, Genevieve could not restrain her excitement. She kept fidgeting on her seat as she scribbled down notes upon notes about the fight. Suiryu's fighting style, particularly how he humiliated Motoyasu, flooded the librarian's head with so much inspiration and curiosity. It was her first time to see such unique combination of combat art and torture.
"Oh… Oh…! Mario, can you see that! The shield hero is indeed is a master in art of combat! I should take this into a note and I think, later I'll ask him! His ability... It's so brilliant, so ruthless, and so awesome!" Genevieve exclaimed in ecstasy as she wrote down how Suiryu fought, complete with some rough sketches of his moves. "Tell me, young lady! Do you know what's the name of his combat style?"
Raphtalia only put an awkward smile as she scratched her cheek. "Well, he hasn't tell us anything about his style. We are still learning the basics though."
Raphtalia's honest reply prompted Genevieve to put her feather pen onto her new parchment as she thought about a tittle for her writing. "Oh, that's too bad. But well. Then I guess I'll just call it 'Torment for The Spear Hero'… No, that's too lame. What about 'Trickster's Underhanded Technique'… Oh, that's even worse! I guess, 'The Unparalleled Battle Style of The Shield Hero.' That's it!"
Rifana who cringed from how creepy the head librarian was turned her head to a spear-wielding man who escorted her. "Um... Captain Mario, is lady Genevieve always be like that?"
Mario who looked at the ongoing "fight" with a mix of interest and horror on his face turned to Rifana. "Y-yeah. That's the way she is. If not because I dragged her to join the guild, I guess she's ended up with some degenerate magus. Still, she's kinda… retard."
"Boy, that's very cruel of you." Commander Wagner who sat nearby bopped Mario's head and reprimanded as he faced Rifana. "Dear young Lady, the truth is Genevieve really loves new things. She always immerse herself in her inquiries, particularly strategies in combat. She is an avid collector of war-related books and many things about battle. Well, I guess you can expect how giddy she would when Lord Shield Hero used those foreign yet powerful moves."
"Oh I see… So, it's her hobby. What a unique one..." Rifana nodded as she put a weird look on her face before she turned her attention back to the arena.
Three minutes passed and Motoyasu's fingertips had turned blue and swollen from the pressure. His hands went numb as he had given up any hope to fight. His HP status was as miserable as his look although compared to Ren's, it was slightly better.
"Shweenpaiiii….. Ughuk..." The blond with ponytail whimpered as he sniffed while he was laying on his stomach. "I surrender… Please… Let me go?"
"Go to where? To the beach?" Suiryu chuckled as he lightened the weight on his foot. "Then let me join."
Seeing how bad the injury he had inflicted to his junior, the champion mercifully raised his boot as he took a bottle of HP restoration potion from his shield storage. He ducked and gently helped the spear hero to sit.
"I'm so sorry, Motoyasu-kun. But do you know that you've angered my daughter?" Like a father, Suiryu uncorked the bottle and slowly placed it's mouth onto Motoyasu's lips. "Well, sorry for punishing you, but I was just doing my duty as her guardian. At least, respect a lady. Don't be a creep, please."
"Uh… Your daughter?" The spear hero then gulped the concoction amid the incoming arrows which got deflected by the shield-wielder's protective aura. "… I understand, Senpai… Please, forgive me…"
As Motoyasu's wounds on his fingers slowly regenerated, Suiryu stood and pulled the spearman up. The sight was somewhat touching for the spectators. For Itsuki however, it angered him even more.
"Are you still up for a fight?" Suiryu asked as he gave a side glance to the fuming archer.
"Well. Don't know. I guess I'll pass. I don't have any chance to win. You're a cheat, remember?" The spearman replied somberly as he looked at Aultcray who was clawing his armrest.
"BAKA Motoyasu! What the hell are you doing there!?" The bow kid yelled as he launched another attack. "He's our enemy! It's your chance, you blockhead!"
"Oh… Really? But at least you can try. Look at Itsuki-kun over there. This is your chance." Suiryu offered as he smiled while blocking an arrow. "Or, are you going to upset your girl, hmm~?"
The spear hero glanced at the place where the said princess was kicking a pillar, out of rage. She could not understand, how her meticulous plan to punish Suiryu fell so miserably. Even, her most gullible pawn fell to the shield hero's charm! Again and again, the martial artist kept putting her into an almost endless failure, yet she did not want to admit it, ever!
"Don't you want to avenge for her suffering I ever put on her?" The shield hero tempted as he raised his brows.
"I'm not sure..." The spear hero turned to the shielder as he cast a blank stare.
Motoyasu at that point lost all his spirit to fight. It was frustrating to say the least, but he could not feel it since a sense of despair shrouded him. Perhaps to become a gawker was not bad in the end.
"Well. I see… So, outta my way!" Suiryu tackled Motoyasu and raised him over his head, then threw him away.
"UWAAAAAH…!" The spear hero was flying for a moment and he managed to land on his feet. "Senpai..."
Motoyasu had just realized that Suiryu wanted to put him on the side so that he could engage Itsuki freely. As soon as he landed, he saw how the monk-fighter dashed into blur around the archer while changing his shield form.
'Alright… I want to try this. Hope this will work.' Suiryu mused as he covered himself from some arrows while running.
"[Change Shield]! [Meteor Shield]!" The monk-fighter chanted his shield's name as he chose a right tile to step on before he jumped.
"D-Damn you! What are YOU!?" Itsuki aimed at Suiryu as he pulled his bowstring frantically, terrified at the champion's inhuman dexterity.
The monk-fighter leaped until he reached the roof level of the arena as he rotated his body midair. "[Airstrike Shield]!"
Suiryu used the transparent green shield as a platform. He got suspended in an upside-down position for two seconds, bent his legs and sprang down to dive-bomb towards Itsuki.
"[Shield Prison]!"
A car-sized ball made of shields with a chain tying around it materialized before Suiryu as he dove. He put his hands on it as the push from his downward jump delivered him to Itsuki. The helpless archer who saw the giant ball which was speeding towards him tried to escape, but tumbled down on his back. It was over. The ball fell on him and hit his entire torso with such a force that put him into a shocking pain, making his eyes rolled back.
"UAGHAK–!" The bow hero gasped out air and blood as the ball trampled him into the arena floor, cracking the stones under it.
"I-Itsuki..." Ren muttered weakly as his blurry vision picked the image of his fellow who was being crushed by a giant ball of shields.
""LORD ITSUKI!"" The bowman's companions screamed in terror.
'Impossible! It's like being hit by a truck– NO! It's a road roller!' Itsuki mused as the force and the weight of the ball kept pressing him, sinking him deeper into the ground. 'I can't move! My body's going numb! DAMN IT!'
The attack brutally cut the bow hero's HP bar to 19%! Suiryu's unconventional method was lethally effective!
On the spectator's place, Aultcray was grinding his teeth in rage at such unexpected outcome. The bane called shield hero had proved himself to be an extremely formidable adversary. In truth, calling him formidable was an understatement since he had shown that he was still holding back during the fight. Not only he was elusive, but also he was too inhuman.
Rifana and Raphtalia also could not contain their shock from escaping onto their face. They had never seen such kind of technique during their adventure. They had nothing to say, for their master's feat was too awesome to comprehend. Thus, their love and respect towards him grew even more.
Among the nobles, expression of fear, awe and even excitement were present. Fear, for such force was unheard of and could send them to oblivion at any moment. Awe, since his ability was nothing even a skilled warrior could pull off. Excitement, because the greatest fight in a coliseum would never reach this scale of insanity!
On the sideline, the spear hero was seeing the transpiring event with slacking jaw. His assumption was right. Ren's choice to fool Suiryu backfired them in an unexpectedly gruesome way. Challenging such broken player was an extremely fatal move. Now before him, laid the bodies of his friends who dared to piss off the man they believed as a cheater. They were still alive though, yet the sight was unbearable. Suiryu had just proved him that this world was a game and reality at the same time, using the hard way.
The shield hero turned his head to face the spearman as the shield ball on Itsuki's body vanished. His face was pensive, almost like someone who mourned for the death of his loved ones. Did he regret what he did? Was he still mad about the other boys' harsh talk? Motoyasu took the momentary silence to brace himself as the man went to answer his doubt.
"You know, Motoyasu-kun, it's kinda sad that it should end up like this. Honestly, I thought that level 40s can withstand my attack. I don't want to be rude, but it turned out like what you implied. Level does not determine our stats." The monk-fighter sighed as he glanced at the fainted heroes who were being tended by their party members. "And now I'm certain that training is the answer for our difference in stats."
The spear hero was speechless. The monk-fighter left him baffled, clueless as to how everything could become like this and the shielder's answer did not help either. Maybe soon enough, his mind would slip away.
'What's this all about. I don't understand. Guess I'm going crazy.' Motoyasu thought as he was still casting a blank stare to Suiryu.
"I-I… Don't really get it, senpai…" The spear hero managed to utter what was in his mind.
Suiryu closed his eyes as he averted his gaze to see the spectators who were still observing the conclusion of the fight. "You won't get it until you face a strong enemy. Maybe the Rock Eater one day will teach you something."
Motoyasu grimaced upon hearing the monster's name. The gut-wrenching sensation suddenly hit him once again as the image of the girl he failed to save haunted his mind. For a moment, he felt the chill seeped onto his spine until he came back to his senses, forcefully triggered by the scream of some people.
He looked to his side and there, Suiryu was holding a boy in a scholar robe. The boy happened to be one among Ren's party member. His friends were also fainted, scattered around the arena like they were just slammed by a strong force. Fortunately, Itsuki's pals came to drag them to the side. And there, the spear hero froze as his eyes landed at such horrible sight.
"L-lord Shield Hero… P-please… Save… Lord Ren…" The boy then went limp on Suiryu's arm.
Turned out, the force which hit those people was their party leader himself. The sword hero was kneeling as a mass of black energy shrouded his person entirely. His eyes were red and his mouth clenched into a scary grin. Such change, everybody knew that it was an ominous transformation which spread malice, exuding dark miasma into the air. A clear sign of a demonic possession.
"GRRRRR…!" Ren growled as he rose slowly from his knees.
His sword also changed in shape and color. It became red and black, single edged, protruding spikes along the blunt side and crimson engraving on each of side of the blade. The blade itself glowed brighter as the user used it to steady his footing from whatever thing which swayed him.
"This overpowering sensation…! I know it!" Suiryu muttered as he frowned at the possessed sword hero. "I see… So you're turning into a monster, Ren-kun? Guess this gonna be tough."
Author's Note
Okay. Action. Yeah, at last.
Generally speaking, this chapter is dedicated for the spear hero. And yes. Suiryu bashed him around, really much. Hope they would form a strong friendship.
Butler, maid? Yup. Is it Black Butler, Re:Zero, Overlord, Konosuba, or perhaps… Black Lagoon? Well, perhaps all of them. Because butler and maid is among isekai tropes.
Why Ren and Itsuki looked really evil? Well, simply because they thought that Suiryu is a cheater. Nothing more infuriating for gamer than knowing that there's a cheater among them.
Into the battle, of course… ROAD ROLLER DA!
Hope it can satisfy our hungry soul for a MUDA MUDA fight! WRYYYYY!
Motoyasu fell into some sort of existential crisis while Ren awakened his cursed series. Seems deviating from the canon, but I just want to make them grow in an unconventional way. Wish you can see it soon in the next chapter. :-)
Alright. Guess that's all for what I can say. Hope you like it, Dear Readers. Don't forget to leave comment and review. PM me if you want to talk about something.
Oh… I also put a poll on my profile regarding my future project. Please, my Dear Readers… Vote, so that I can express more of my ideas and know which one do you want the most… :'-O
Thank you so much for all your support. See you next time in the next story. ;-)