Sword Hero Who Dances in the Shadows chapter 09: Respite

Lyall the Werewolf: Chapter 08 of Sword Hero's Dance might be the best emotionally charged chapter I've ever come up. I'm honestly surprised at how much praise I've gotten for making Bitch, Motoyasu, and King Trash absolutely detestable. A lot of the reviews in Ch.08 pretty much said the same thing, expressing that they felt genuine anger and hate towards the aforementioned three. Some have even stated that the chapter managed to anger them more than any other version of the story they've read up to that point. The fact that a single chapter could do that is amazing!

Really, I'm not even trying all that hard. Their personalities, most especially Bitch and Motoyasu's, are very easy to understand, and that's what makes them easy to write as Hate Sinks. I seriously thought I was overdoing it with Chapter 8 (and I probably have), but to inspire that much rage with just two to three characters, and touching your hearts by the end has left me impressed and satisfied with how it turned out. Of course, some of you may disagree and find it very disturbing, and that's okay. The implied rape privileges that Bitch promised to Motoyasu and the latter actually considering it? Yeah, that's a thing! And to be honest, I feel disgusted with myself for having written it. If Asuka or anyone in the Senran Kagura series wanted to crush my balls before lobbing off my head, it's because I deserved every bit of that pain.

Anyway, you don't need to keep reading if it makes you uncomfortable, unsatisfied, and/or angry enough to rage quit. That being said, I'm not going to change what happened. If I were to change it so Asuka wins, doesn't get the Curse Series, and Naofumi's reputation is restored early on (although I have a feeling the King and his daughter would try to bullshit their belief that Asuka didn't win legitimately), then my plans for the future of this crossover would change dramatically, and I don't want to go through all that trouble. And where would we be if Princess Bitch didn't get her comeuppance for doing something morally outrageous? I promise you, something horrible will happen to her and it will be satisfying for everyone. So, if you all can stick around for a little while longer, that'd be cool.

I may have fibbed a little bit when I said I deviated from canon, because yes… Asuka vs. Motoyasu is basically Naofumi vs. Motoyasu, but before the Second Wave, and it ends with a much worse conclusion than in canon, because of Bitch's pettiness, the King's hypocrisy, and Motoyasu's stupidity and lechery. On the bright side, Naofumi was able to rekindle his relationship with Asuka and help her out of Heroic BSOD induced by the Sloth Curse Series, and the reputations of Motoyasu and the two corrupt royals will be in shambles as a result of their stunts, in-universe and out. We also know that a war could break out, with Melromarc being the main target of aggression from every other nation, as a result of the aforementioned three's actions, which is on the bad side of things. Who knows what could happen at this point.

Some of you have pointed that Kizuna, a character introduced way later in the novels had Sloth as her Curse Series. I don't think it was written in stone that Heroes couldn't use the same type of Curse Series Weapon, so it's not a big deal here, but more importantly, one review said that using Sloth is really dangerous for a Cardinal Hero. In fact, I read up on it on the Shield Hero wiki, and Kizuna almost died because she was so taken over by the Sloth Hunting Tool, to the point of even thinking breathing was tiresome. Thanks for that info guys, I'll put it to good use.

Now then, please enjoy this short, but less emotionally heavy chapter, as it concludes the Duel Arc.

(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)


Princess Malty was furious. It was the perfect plan. Humiliate the Sword Bimbo in the duel, enslave her, and break her spirit. But then that old hag and her meddling Shadows butted in, and ruined her fun. Her mother was always like that, getting in the way of her fun, while spoiling Melty.

"It's not fair… It's not fair! It's not FAIR!" Malty shouted, knocking over her dresser.

"Malty, calm down!" said a worried Aultcray. He was concerned for his eldest daughter's well being, seeing as she hadn't calmed herself after the duel's conclusion, seeing as she was currently trashing her room.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Those damned Shadows ruined everything!" Malty snapped at her father.

"I know, but getting upset won't change what happened." said Aultcray, "Honestly, I should have realized that your mother would send her Shadows to monitor us."

"Forget about Mama! What are we going to do about that Sword Bimbo?! I won't rest until she pays for what she said to me!"

"The restrictions on her still remain, and her refusal to accept our support will hurt her in the end. And the act of attempting to brand her with the Slave Crest no doubt left an impact. A slave or not, I'm certain she won't defy us again."

Malty took a deep breath and grinned, "Huh… You're right. She's learned her lesson either way. She'll likely be too scared to come to Castle-Town or even try to participate in the fight against the Waves of Catastrophe."

If not, she would come up with other plans to crush that little bimbo, no matter what.

"Exactly. And, all you need to do is focus on supporting Motoyasu-dono through his endeavors. With your help, I'm certain he'll become the greatest of the Cardinal Heroes." Aultcray smiled, glad to see his precious daughter feeling better, but there was one thing still left him curious. "Speaking of whom, how is Motoyasu-dono?"

"Ever since those Shadows declared the duel a draw, he's been in a slump, whining over that bimbo." Malty answered. The Spear Hero constantly chattering about the Sword Bimbo was irritating to say the least, but a minor on if she could raise his reputation enough that he would be considered an heir to the throne. "Not to worry. I'll get him to concentrate on the Waves and his adventures."

"I see. I'll leave it to you then. Goodnight my dear."

"Goodnight, Papa."

Aultcray left Malty's room soon after.

As he was making his way to his own chambers, the King encountered Balmus, the Pope of the Three Heroes Church.

"Hello, my King. How is she?" asked the Pope.

"I managed to calm her down." Aultcray answered.

"How fortunate. And what of the Spear Hero?"

"According to Malty, he's depressed over the Sword Hero." Aultcray shook his head, "I hope it doesn't affect his ability to fight in the Waves of Catastrophe."

"Pardon my ruddiness, old friend, but this may not have happened if you hadn't restricted the Sword Hero's quest privileges." Balmus said, "In fact, you should have worked harder to convince her obey our designs."

"I'm aware of that. But, it is her stubborn belief in the Shield Hero and sympathy for those wretched Demi-humans that's the problem. There's no way to convince her of how evil the Shield and those who follow the Shield truly are."

"Branding her with a Royal Slave Crest was a wasted idea as well, especially since the people have gained more of a negative opinion of us." Balmus gave a light scowl, "I still can't believe you and Princess Malty convinced me that branding one of our cherished Three Heroes was our best course of action if we wanted her cooperation and to ensure peace for our fair Melromarc."

"I do apologize for putting you in such a position, Balmus."

"There is no need of that, for it is the Sword Hero's refusal to adhere to her true calling as a Cardinal Hero that is the blame. If she cannot fulfill her duty, then we have no further use of her."

"Do you believe she won't fight the Waves either?" Aultcray asked, with a bit of guilt in his voice.

"I want to believe that isn't the case, but after the sin we committed against her, it is highly unlikely." answered Balmus, his glasses shinning a bit.

"That… would be troubling."

"We can only hope her spirit is resolute. After all, the old saying goes, 'misery builds character'." said Balmus as he turned on his heel, "I look forward to when she rises her ashes."

King Aultcray was left to ponder how things would play out from here.

[-Vento's Mansion-]

Following the duel at Castle-Town, Asuka, Naofumi and friends return to Vento's Mansion in Callma Village.

Meeting in the same guest room Asuka used before, all eyes fell to the Sword Hero, who was still down trotted by what happened, even after resting up a bit.

"How are you feeling?" Naofumi asked Asuka as she sat up from the mattress. Replacing her now tattered her armor, she wore a simple nightgown like on the first night she was summoned to this world. Thanks to fast acting healing medicine provided by Vento, Asuka's sullen ankle swelled down and healed up.

"Pretty good, all things considered, but…" Asuka solemnly looked down to her chest, specifically her left breast, where Myne touched her. The vivid memory of that witch's touch felt more than a little violating. It felt as though icky cold mud had touched her very soul. "I feel really dirty in certain places, though…"

"Tch… damn that woman!" Naofumi grunted. If she was to suffer in any way, he wanted to be the first to see it. It was remarkable how Asuka was able to recover from all that she experienced tonight.

"I am so sorry you had to go through all that." said Vento, "At the very least, the enslavement process failed."

The Sword Hero released a long sigh of relief, "Yeah, I am glad for that… I really don't want to imagine what could have happened if did succeed…"

"You'll need time to recover mentally before anything else happens, so you should stay here for a few days."

"I've already imposed on you enough, Vento-san…"

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist." Vento said sternly.

Asuka could see actual concern in his eyes as he said this. It sort of reminded her of her grandfather and her instructor Kiriya when they showed their concern for her. For that reason, she didn't protest any further.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rino asked worryingly.

"Thanks, Rino-chan, but I'll be fine."

"She'll definitely pay for what she did. I'll make sure of it!" Rino swore, with a menacing look in her eye.

"Rino-chan, you shouldn't concern yourself with her. At least, not yet…" Asuka mumbled as she sat on the couch next to Conan, who was silently staring at her.

"I guess this means at some point, you'll seek revenge on Princess Malty and the King for what they tried to do, Sword Hero?" asked Vento, not that he would blame her. After all, he didn't hold the King in high regard, and at this point, he could care less if he died.

"No… seeking revenge wouldn't really do me any good, and it's just not in me. Besides, I can't waste time dealing with their antics. I need to concentrate on the Waves of Catastrophe." part of Asuka did want revenge for what that witch had done, but it would have gone against her moral code.

"Not in the state you're in." said Naofumi, "You need to rest up and recover yourself before you do anything else."

Asuka was a little surprised to hear Naofumi say that. He sounded like a concerned older brother. It made her happy to see he wasn't so bitter anymore. Also, she did always wanted a big brother type figure.

"I'll do just that. Thanks, Naofumi-kun." Asuka smiled.

"No problem." Naofumi sighed, "So with that out of the way, I think it would help if you told us more about yourself. Like who you really are, where you came from, and how you died to get here."

This news surprised everyone barring Asuka.

"W-Wait, what? You died?!" Rino exclaimed to Asuka.

"Yeah…" Asuka answered softly.

"The first night we were summoned here, we got to talking. Aside from being from different worlds entirely, we also discovered that Motoyasu, Itsuki, and Asuka previously died before the summoning ritual. I got summoned here because of a book, but that's not important." Naofumi's eyes fell to the silent Asuka, "Motoyasu and Itsuki told us how they died, but Asuka chose to remain tight lipped about it. We figured it must've been pretty bad, so we didn't pry. But, I think it's time you reveal what you've been hiding, Asuka."

Asuka cast her gaze down. Her vivid memory of her death resurfaced. While it wasn't as bad as before, it still wrought terrible anxiety in the Sword Hero.

"Hey, we shouldn't push her!" Rino said, "If it's that painful then-"

"No. I think it's better she spill now, or she'll never get over it." Naofumi interjected, "When we were first summoned, she fell over, ready to puke. I saw the look on her face. It was just like the one she had when she froze during the duel. Whatever happened before is still affecting her."

"I have to agree with the Shield Hero." said Vento, "If this trauma does exist, then it's no doubt going to affect her ability to fight in the Waves."

"I-I know, but she seriously needs time to recover before-"

"Rino-chan, it's okay." Asuka said, "I can't keep hiding this. There have been times I frozen up, but they weren't as bad as they were today. I thought little by little I was getting used to it and they faded over time, but I guess was fooling myself. All I did was try to burry those awful memories and feelings."

Asuka looked Naofumi straight in the eye.

"You're absolutely right. I'll tell everything about me." Asuka declared with a determined face, which faltered in a few seconds, "But, first promise you won't laugh it off. You might not believe it at first."

"After all the things we've seen in this world, I doubt you'd surprise me. Besides, I think I have something about you figured out." said Naofumi, "You're an actual ninja, aren't you?"

"Huh? How did-?!"

"That duel with Motoyasu, while awesome by the way, clued me in. The way you fought was unreal. You used maneuvers and attacks only a ninja in an anime or video game could think of. There's no way normal humans could do all that. Speaking of video games, I have my doubts you've played as much video games as me or the other two. 'Shinobi Brave Star Online' sounds like something you scrambled to come up with it when the topic came up."

"Um… yeah… I mean, I have played games before, but I never got into them. My Shinobi training always came first."

"So I was right. The only things that are missing are dark clothing and Shadow Clones." Naofumi smirked.

"I can't make Shadow Clones. And I think my ninja is different from the kind of ninja you might be thinking of."

"Huh?"

"I'm not following… ninja? Video games?" Vento raised a confused eyebrow. He wasn't the only one confused, as everyone in the room looked at the two Heroes with confusion.

"I guess I should explain myself. Maybe I should start from the beginning…? Oh, and you absolutely can't tell Itsuki-kun, or anyone else about this! Especially not… Motoyasu-kun…" Asuka faltered a little at mentioning the Spear Hero's name.

"Like I'd say anything to them." grumbled Naofumi. He rationalized that she must not want anyone to know of her secret out of some built in ninja secrecy code. She especially must not want Motoyasu to know anything else about her than he already does, which was understandable, given the kind of shit he pulled.

Asuka began filling the others in on her past life and what her world was like. She told them of her relation to a legendary Shinobi named Hanzo and that she was his successor, which she had a great deal of pride in. She even talked about her classmates in Hanzo Academy, such as their unique personalities and quirks, and especially their skills in battle.

Eventually, she revealed the story of how she met her first rival, Homura, and how they came into conflict with Hebijo Academy, which led to the most difficult part of the story. The ending.

Following her final fight with Homura, all of her friends and their rivals were either killed or absorbed into the monstrous Yoma known as Orochi, which was the direct cause of her own death. The rest was history.

"And, there you have it." Asuka finished with a tired sigh.

"Hehe… Okay, that's pretty crazy!" Naofumi chuckled a little, to the annoyance of Asuka. He honestly thought Asuka's back story was something out of an anime, due to how crazy it sounded, but given what he had seen, and since Asuka's was sincere 99% of the time, he also knew that she was telling the truth.

Vento and the others could barely follow along, but they understood that this was the truth from Asuka as well. Vento himself compared the ninja of Asuka's world, who didn't have absurd superhuman abilities, to the Shadows working for the Queen, and possibly other factions in Melromarc.

"Didn't I ask you not to laugh?" Asuka pouted.

"Sorry." said Naofumi, "Anyway, I think it's both hilarious and dumb that you held back against Motoyasu. If you were stronger than you let on, you could have won."

"In hindsight, I agree with you. But, he was still a civilian, and even if I was angry with him, I couldn't bring myself to hurt him too badly."

"Save for that nut punch you gave him. I wish I had seen it." Naofumi smirked.

"Wow, you punched that moron in his junk? I wanted to see that too!" Rino complained.

"W-Well, I only did that because he just kept saying stupid things!" cried an embarrassed Asuka, "Actually, let not talk about that, okay?!"

"Why not? It's Motoyasu, laughing at him should be cheering you up! Hahaha!" Naofumi laughed. Raphtalia looked up at her master in curiosity. Even though it had been a short time, she had never seen him laugh this much before.

"Geez…" Asuka pouted.

After a few minutes worth of chuckles, Naofumi eventually became serious.

"Anyway, you think that Orochi monster is still rampaging around your world?"

Asuka downcast her gaze, "Probably. But, I'm sure Grandpa and the others can handle it." she answered, "But… It still means I couldn't do anything to stop it. All of my friends are dead, and many more could be dying right now…"

Everyone could see the hurt and guilt in the Sword Hero's eyes as she spoke.

However, Naofumi had only this to say, "Then, we just have to finish all of the Waves and we can go home."

"Eh?"

"If we beat all of the Waves of Catastrophe, we can all go back to our respective worlds. And hopefully, with your new powers, you can take that monster out once and for all."

"But, who knows how long that would be. We don't even know how many of them there. And by the time we're finished, my world will probably be destroyed, and it'd still be my fault. Plus, we don't even know if it's even possible to go back to our original worlds."

"You said yourself that there were bunch of strong Shinobi in your world, right? They probably took care of Orochi by now. And, you could still make a difference after you get back, by fixing. It all depends on you."

"On me… yeah, you're right." said Asuka, "I wanna go back. I want to see my family, and if Orochi, or anything else like it is still there, I want to be able to finish it off this time." Asuka felt some of her determination return to her. If there was a way to return to her world, she would find and put an end to Orochi, avenge her friends, and protect her home from any threat resembling the demon beast.

"You know I got your back!" Rino chimed in, "I'll help you get strong enough to avenge your friends, and if possible, teach that witch of a princess a lesson!"

"Thanks, Rino-chan! I really appreciate it!"

Naofumi smiled, "That's good to hear. But, you're still gonna need to take a load off before you go getting stronger and leveling up."

"I know, and that includes you too, by the way." Asuka said with a smirk, "I'm pretty sure you're still under leveled."

"Not like I can help it. Raphtalia's still not good enough for bigger monsters." Naofumi stated which unnerved his slave.

"So, you're still going to make her fight for you?"

"I don't have a choice. It's not like I can get any stronger or gain more skill from killing monsters with ease like you can."

"Eh? You mean you don't know about the Weapon Copy System?"

"Huh? Weapon Copy System?" Naofumi raised an eyebrow.

"After the… trial… I decided I needed a new sword, so I went to Boss's place. That's where I discovered the Weapon Copy System. It allowed me to copy a weapon that is similar to my Legendary Sword. I gain stat boosts and new skills, similar to how the Material Absorption System worked."

"Wait, you can do that?" Naofumi guffawed, very surprised by this news.

"Yep. All you have to do is pick up that weapon." Asuka answered.

"I'll be damned. Guess I should go see the old guy then." Naofumi smirked.

"Y-Yeah… just be sure to ask him first, otherwise he'll throw a fit." Asuka said with an awkward smile, remembering how he freaked out when they first discovered she could copy other sword type weapons.

"Assuming I have enough money. I used what I could to buy Raphtalia as a slave." Naofumi admitted. Some part of him felt a twinge of shame for having done it, but how was to fight without anyone willing to trust him?

Raphtalia remained silent. As glad as she was seeing Asuka feeling better, she still felt embarrassed as being a slave. Although, her current master wasn't as nearly as bad as her last master, so it wasn't all bad.

"I keep forgetting how amazing the Heroes are." Rino said in awe of what she just heard.

"It is intriguing." said Vento, "Just as much so as a Cardinal Hero owning a slave. Given your predicament, what else could you do?" pondered the merchant, to the Shield Hero's annoyance.

"So, he's the Shield Hero…" Conan thought. Whatever the people of this country did to Naofumi, it was no doubt bad enough for him to buy one of Conan's kind as a slave. Conan felt a sense of pity for Raphtalia, but didn't envy her situation since he had been free this whole time he was in this country. But, could you really call living off the land and running away from humans truly living? He still didn't know if he could trust these humans.

"Speaking of predicaments, Sword Hero…" Vento turned to Asuka, "I heard in Castle-Town that you were restricted by King Aultcray from taking quests at the Adventurer's Guild. What're you going to do about money?"

"I still hadn't thought of that. I still have that reward money you gave me. I could hunt monsters on my own and sell whatever materials I can find, but I don't know how much I'll be able to afford living expenses. Not to mention that house I asked you to build for me."

"You want a house build? Why don't you just stay in the mansion? It seems this guy's generous enough for one of the Three Heroes to live her, right?" Naofumi looked at Vento with some suspicion in his eyes.

"I can't. I don't want to impose on Vento-san too much." said Asuka, "But still, what should I do about my money problem?"

"Have you thought about mercenary work?" Vento asked, "They're like adventurers, but they're specifically hired by people for negotiable prices and rewards, depending on the job they want you to do. The costumers could ask you to take care of monsters or bandits like I did, or you could be a bodyguard, helping traders protect goods, anything really, so long as the price is right."

"Huh… That could work. I get money, and I can get EXP to level up. And it'll help keep my skills sharp." Asuka smiled with excitement.

"That's what I thought. I would have suggested merchant work if that wasn't your first choice, but maybe that wouldn't suit you."

"Yeah. My business sense isn't super great, so working as a merchant is a hard pass." said Asuka.

"Merchant work, huh…?" Naofumi muttered.

"Interested in the business, Shield Hero?" Vento asked.

"I'll think about it." Naofumi answered.

"Okay, so mercenary work is cool and all, but how are we gonna get the word out about this business?" asked Rino.

"You can leave that to me." Vento said, "I'll spread word among some of the other merchants. All you need to do is impress them like you did the crowd during your… duel with the Spear Hero."

"Even though some of them don't like that I stand up for Demi-humans and the Shield Hero?"

"Not everyone in Melromarc is as narrow-minded as that. You do want people to see you for who you are, don't you?"

"More than anything, really."

"Then, it's settled." Vento declared, "Once you're well rested, you can do your part as a working Hero."

"Thanks. I'm sorry for having to depend on you for these things." said Asuka with a sad frown.

"It's absolutely no problem. This is far too interesting for me to pass up." Vento said with a playful smirk. "Now if you'll excuse, I need to get back to my study. Oh, and Shield Hero, feel free to stay the night if you want. I have room for travelers, after all."

The noble gentleman left the room, leaving behind the five. Naofumi couldn't help feeling a little suspicious of Vento.

"So, with all that out of the way, what do you say we take another, Asuka?" Rino asked excitedly.

"Sounds good to me. I could really use one." Asuka nodded as she carefully got out of bed, "Raphtalia-chan, do you wanna join us?"

"M-Me too? Can I?" Raphtalia looked up to her master pleadingly.

"Do what you want. Just know that we won't be staying long." said Naofumi.

"O-Okay…" Raphtalia and Rino go the bathroom first, but Naofumi stopped Asuka from going for a moment.

"Hey, Asuka…" said Naofumi to Asuka.

"Yeah?"

"Just wanted to ask, but what's the deal with this noble? Is there any particular reason he's being so nice to you?" Naofumi questioned.

"I asked him that myself, and he said he had his reason, but he said that it was a secret." Asuka replied.

"I don't fully trust him. I'd say he's scheming something."

"I'm aware of that possibility, but he's been pleasant so far, so I figure it's okay to trust him for now."

"Just don't trust him as far you can throw him. He could just be taking advantage of you."

"You know, Naofumi-kun, it wouldn't hurt to at least be a little trustful to others."

"Whatever." sighed Naofumi, "Anyway, I think we'll stay the night and take off in the morning. Until then, I'd like you to take care of Raphtalia for tonight, since she seems to like you. That and I think you could use some company after what you went through."

Asuka was surprised to hear this request from Naofumi. It was only a short time since she met Raphtalia, but to think she had come to like her this quickly. It made her happy in all honesty, and it certainly made her day that Naofumi trusted her enough to look after her for the night, and especially going out of his way to help her recover.

"You got it." Asuka smiled.

"Oh, but she tends to wake up screaming at night because of nightmares, and she's kinda sickly." Naofumi mentioned offhandedly.

"You could have said that a little sooner." Asuka said with a deadpan expression.

With all discussions finished, Asuka and Rino go bathe together in the bathroom again, this time with Raphtalia. The three enjoyed themselves in the bath, but they didn't linger too long for worry of Raphtalia's health. For Asuka though, some things couldn't be washed off, like that muddy feeling on her breast.

The girls journeyed back to Asuka's empty room, where Rino decided she would spend the night.

"Rino-chan, we'll be okay, so you don't need sleep here." said Asuka.

"Nope. I won't sleep a wink unless I know you're alright, so I'm staying." Rino retorted. She wore a short bluish nightgown.

"Okay…" Asuka pouted. She turned to Raphtalia, "Ready for some shut-eye?"

"Y-Yes…!" Raphtalia nodded, with a slight wag of her tail. She wore a simple t-shirt.

The three girls went to bed that night. They ended up sharing the same bed, with Rino asleep to Asuka's right and Raphtalia to her left.

"Looks like everybody's comfortable. I'm sure not…" Asuka wasn't claustrophobic, something about being so close in contact with the others made her feel uncomfortable. Maybe it was lingering feelings from what that witch touched her. She didn't even want to think about what would have happened if it was Motoyasu with her.

Shaking her head, Asuka turned over and tried going to sleep. Eventually, she would fall asleep, only to find herself in the dark lonely void again.

"This place again…" Asuka mumbled.

She could see and feel the bitter memories she had experience until recently as they played out in front of her. From her friends dying before her eyes, right before burning to death herself, to that damnable charade of a trial where Naofumi was accused of assaulting Myne and plotting to do the same to her, and lastly, the outcome of that duel, which was cheated out of her hand and being outright molested in front of an audience, and about to become a slave to the witch responsible. Thankfully, the Legendary Sword protected her from the enslavement, but watching the awful memories wrought feelings of anger and anxiety from the Sword Hero.

Speaking of the Legendary Sword.

"You're still here…?"

The sword floated in front of her.

"Why are you showing me these memories? I can't forget them, even if I wanted to." Asuka growled. But then, she heard a silent voice.

(Are you running away? From your despair? Or your hope?)

"What?"

(I'm watching you…)

"Huh? W-Wait!"

Suddenly, Asuka woke up to reality. It was dark and silent, and she was the only one awake.

"Damn… I thought the bad dreams had gone away…" Asuka had dreams like this before. With time, she managed to forget them, but they resurfaced again. That part with the voice was new, though. Could that have been the sword itself speaking to her? It was currently shrunken down to the size of a keychain. She learned she could do that when not in combative situations.

Anyway, she thought it was strange that a sword could speak telepathically to its user. Then again, it was an otherworldly sword, so what more bizarre things could happen? She just hoped it wasn't an ominous sign.

"Mom… Dad…" a whimper was heard. Asuka looked down and saw Raphtalia weeping her in her sleep. She figured it was only a matter of time before she woke up crying, so the Sword Hero decided to give the Tanuki girl a comforting hug.

The muddy feeling came back, but it subsided almost immediately, since Asuka knew it was the gentle Raphtalia she was holding, and who was burying herself in her breasts in search of more comfort, much like Conan did.

"I guess kids are like that…"

Suddenly, she felt a hug come from behind. Asuka looked behind her and found Rino cling to her from behind in a protective manner.

"Asuka… I'll protect you…"

The uncomfortable feeling Asuka had disappeared entirely, and it was replaced with a feeling of warmth. She decided this was the best therapy she could ask her and fell back to sleep.

[-The Next Morning-]

Naofumi was a little stumped at what he found in Asuka's room. He originally came in to fetch his slave, only to find all three girls huddled together fast asleep, with Rino hugging Asuka from behind while Raphtalia clung to Asuka while burying her face in her chest, and the Sword Hero hugging the Tanuki girl back.

The Shield Hero wasn't sure what to make of this.

"You'd think she'd be uncomfortable with being touched after what Myne did." Naofumi muttered himself. Well, it was certainly better than freaking out at night. Raphtalia didn't make much noise either. As far as he could tell, they both needed this, so he decided to let them sleep a while longer.

A moment later, he noticed Conan sneaking up behind him. The boy wore a cautious expression on his face.

"What?" Naofumi asked.

"You're really the Shield Hero, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. I figured the Shield would be a dead giveaway." Naofumi answered, a little bitter about his Legendary Shield being pointed out.

"Why do people in this country hate us?" Conan asked.

"I don't know and I couldn't care less. I just want out of this damn world." Naofumi said, turning and trotting off. Conan watched as he walked away. He thought all Cardinal Heroes were loved, regardless of the country or culture. Why was it that people in this country didn't revere the Shield Hero? Was it because the Demi-human races worship him specifically?

"Uwah?!" an embarrassed Raphtalia suddenly yelped after waking up in the bosom of the Sword Hero. The little girl's cries woke Asuka up.

"Huh? What's wrong, Raphtalia-chan?"

"Is it morning?" Rino asked groggily.

[-Later That Morning-]

A little later, Naofumi and his slave were about to leave early.

"You're not gonna stick around for breakfast?" asked the voice of Asuka. Naofumi turned and there she was, strolling down the stairs, while wearing a different set of clothes, which consisted of a pale yellow shirt, pink cardigan, mid length magenta skirt and brown low heel sandals. The top of the dress seemed to hug upper her body neatly, as seen with the chest looking a little tight.

"Yeah. We can't get stronger if we relax here." said Naofumi, "I can't even taste the breakfast, anyway…" he muttered to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing." said Naofumi, "Anyhow, you don't need to worry about us starving out there. That noble gave us some food and money, so we'll be okay for a while."

"That's neat." Asuka smiled.

"By the way, what's with the outfit?"

"O-Oh, this? Well, um... since my adventuring gear was damaged in that duel, and I'm talking a break from adventuring and lying low, Vento-san gave me these to wear for while I'm staying here." answered Asuka, feeling a little embarrassed, "I don't really like outfits like this. I mean, it is cute, but I don't think they fit me."

"I don't know. It looks fine to me." said Naofumi flatly. He had to admit, it did good look on her, generally speaking.

"Y-Yes, you look really pretty!" said Raphtalia.

"Oh, um… thanks I guess." Asuka said with a light blush.

"The old guy had that made for you, right? You should get him to repair it as quick as you can."

"I will."

"Great! So, we'll see you around then. And thanks for the info about that Weapon Copy System. I'll put that to good use." Naofumi smiled, before he remembered something, "Oh yeah! Asuka, about your Sword…"

"Huh? What about it?"

Naofumi paused. He wasn't sure how to bring it up, but that dark aura around her and the Legendary Sword wasn't normal to him. From his experience, when materials were fed to his Legendary Shield, it always glowed and a new version of the weapon was created, along with a new skill, in addition to the Weapon Copy System she informed him of. Obviously, all the weapons worked like that as far as he could tell. But, that dark aura surrounding Asuka after that duel. That just wasn't normal, and it left him concerned. Did she unlock something in the Legendary Sword? That'd be great, but why did it feel so ominous? Asuka's state of mind at the time wasn't any help either. It was like she was almost possessed. Who knew what could happen if she was left alone. He wondered if all of the Legendary Weapons were capable of this.

"Hey, everything alright?"

Naofumi looked to Asuka, who looked concerned about how silent the Shield Hero was. Asuka certainly seemed fine at the moment, with no sign of possession. Maybe he was over-thinking it, and there was nothing to worry about.

"It's nothing. Just thinking too much." Naofumi shook his head. Deciding it was time they were on their way, Naofumi turned toward the front door.

"Raphtalia, we're leaving." he ordered to Raphtalia, who was carrying the equipment.

"Y-Yes sir!"

Asuka watched as they were about to make their exit. She knew she couldn't stop them for long, but it didn't mean she couldn't wish them luck.

"Good luck out there!" Asuka called out as the duo left. After a little while, the Sword Hero decided it was time for a stroll outside.

"Are you sure you should be going out?" asked Vento.

"Yes. I don't want be cooped up here all day. I need some fresh air." said Asuka. She was dressed in normal clothing, "Thank you for lending me these clothes."

"They were left over from my daughter. I'm glad they fit." Vento smiled with a bit of nostalgia, "Anyway, I'd advice against going into town for a bit. Word of what happened in the capital no doubt spread out here too, and there's a lot of sympathy being thrown your way."

"Where was that sympathy when Naofumi-kun got accused?"

"One of the Three Heroes being tormented like this is one thing, but the Shield Hero…"

"Yeah, I know… and frankly, I'd much rather avoid talking to anyone else. I really want some time alone." said Asuka.

"There's a lake nearby. Maybe going there will clear your head. I'll let Rino-san and Conan-kun know you went out. You may want to stay close by in case anything happens."

"Thank you." Asuka bowed a little and set off outside to see that lake.

A couple of minutes of walking, and Asuka found Callma Lake, which boasted a huge body of clear and beautiful water. It didn't take long for it to make a good impression on the Sword Hero.

"How pretty…" she said in awe. Walking along the shores of the lake, her sandals having been taken off moments prior so she could soak her bare feet into the water, and let her hair down to feel the gentle breeze, she took in everything from the sight of the lake, the lush and vast greenery, the clear blue sky, and the fresh air.

It made her remember that time when she and her friends went to the beach. It was so much fun, getting to play around for once.

"I wonder if I can go to a beach in this world." Asuka said to herself.

Of course, she wouldn't be going with her classmates or her family to anywhere fun and exciting any time soon, or at all. It saddened her deeply, and she was beginning to miss home once more. She began to wonder what her family was up to. Were they dealing with Orochi? Were they grieving, even after all this time? Was Grandma upset at Grandpa for letting their granddaughter die? If so, she probably kicked his butt by now, since she was the one person Hanzo feared above all else.

Yeah, home sounded really good, right now. No corrupt rulers, spoiled princesses, two-faced citizens, or hypocritical perverts to deal with. Just Asuka, and her friends and family, enjoying everyday life.

"Come to think of it… besides Naofumi-kun, do Itsuki-kun and Motoyasu-kun even miss home? Do they even think about their old lives, their friends and their families?"

Naofumi was an exception because of that trial making him hate this world enough to want to go home, but it surprised her that she would even think of those two.

Itsuki was one thing, because even if she didn't like him much, but being civil with him was easier than dealing with Motoyasu. In fact, why bother caring at all about how Motoyasu felt after what he did? Clearly he was having the time of his life in this world. He was clearly the royal favorite out of the four Cardinal Heroes, he earned tones of money from his questing, and he had a personal harem like any anime otaku wished for, topped with a pretty princess giving him anything he wanted. He really thought of himself as a knight in shining armor, but after last night, nothing could be further from the truth in the Sword Hero's eyes. He claimed he wanted to save her from a nonexistent crisis, but all he really wanted was to add Asuka to his harem. What it came down to was that he was a delusional pervert, nothing more, nothing less.

"I really hate him…" Asuka muttered. There was no way in hell she would ever consider getting under the covers with him. He, along with that witch and her father caused her so much anguish, it even triggered something in her Legendary Sword. She felt it when she briefly snapped in her hallucinations.

"Curse Series… Sloth Sword? As in the sin?"

If she understood right, the Sin of Sloth referred to the sin of laziness, or wanting to rest and ignoring everything else. Asuka never pictured herself as lazy, and she rarely found time to rest because of her training. Then again, a cynical part of her mind certainly didn't want to be a Hero because of all the bad things that happened recently, especially almost becoming a slave. Sloth could be attributed to feelings of despair, so maybe that was why she had it. But then, what about all the good things that happened? Shouldn't those override any feelings of despair?

She definitely felt a weight lift from her chest after talking about what she experienced, but something told her that she had a long way to go before she could fully recover from this painful trauma. And since Curse Series sounded ominous on its own, she hoped she wouldn't have to use this "Sloth Sword" in the future.

Speaking of recover, Asuka felt a bit fatigued from walking around, and not getting as much sleep as she would have liked last night. She found a nice spot in the shade below a tree. Sitting at the base of the tree, the Sword Hero decided to take a short nap before returning to the mansion. Her sleep was rather peaceful, as no nightmares had disturbed her like before.

Unbeknownst to her however, two figures watch from a far as the tired Sword Hero went to sleep. One was larger than the other, and they were hoods to keep their faces covered. The calmly and silently approach her. She was so completely asleep she entirely unaware of the two creeping up next to her, hoping not to disturb her nap.

"Is this her?" asked the large figure.

"I think so… see the Legendary Sword?" the smaller figure pointed to the Legendary Sword, which shrank to the size of a keychain around her wrist, "She must be the Sword Hero."

"She looks so… small."

"Don't be fooled. You saw her fight in that so-called sacred duel. She's more powerful than she let's on. And if the rumors about her being kind to Demi-humans and Beastmen in this country are true, then we should consider escorting her and the Shield Hero to our home."

"Perhaps…" the large figure nodded.

"Yes. We just need to convince to return with us."

The figures were so engrossed with their discussion that they hadn't realized that the Sword Hero was beginning to wake up to unfamiliar scents. Opening her eyes, she spotted two strangers standing above her.

"Huh… who are you guys?"

"Ah!"


Lyall the Werewolf: And that's the Duel Arc. It's rather short, but hey, we just needed to see the aftermath, right? Nothing more detailed than that. All we want is for Asuka recover after the traumatic experience she was put through (by my evil hands). Just think of this as breather chapter, away from all the drama in the capital, and especially away from Motoyasu. We'll move the plot along in the next chapter, which will start the arc in the story, that being the Second Wave Arc.

As for the arc structure, here's how I break it down. Chapters 1 to 3 was the Summoning Arc. Chapters 4 to 9 is the Duel Arc. And next, we get to the Second Wave Arc. Like in the Duel Arc, there will be slow build up to the next Wave of Catastrophe. Look forward to it.

By the way, in turns of English voices, I personally think Brina Palencia and Todd Haberkorn would make a good child and grown-up Conan respectively. I like Richard Ian Cox and Stephanie Nadolny well enough, but I like Todd and Brina more.

One more thing. Happy Birthday to me! Yay!