Sword Hero Who Dances in the Shadows chapter 13: the First Job
Lyall the Werewolf: Sorry for the long wait. I had some trouble with how I had would pan out this chapter. That and I was writing out the next chapter alongside this one, which took longer than I would have liked, and I felt kind of lazy while doing so. At the very least, I think this turned out okay.
I neglected to mention this before, but I have seen the new fan art of Asuka in her Vengeance King Armor on Deviant Art. I really like the design, so I will use it in the future, because naturally, she won't unlock the armor right away, since she needs to be angry and strong enough to trigger it, and of course, unlock the Wrath Series, which Vengeance is usually and strongly associated with. That being said, I would like to see more fan art done with stand out moments from this story, like Asuka ball punching Motoyasu, Asuka threatening Trash ever so gently, or even Asuka unlocking the Sloth Series after… you know. It is pretty cool knowing that this crossover is so well liked and I've come this far. I have other projects waiting in the wings, which I'm hoping will be successful too (not sure if that Sonic/Shield Hero request will happen though, as I'm not totally familiar with the Sonic comic canon). Rest assured, I will continue with Sword Hero's Dance, but I would like to experiment with other things too.
Anyway, time for Lute Village and Mald and Captain Dickface's scheme.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
"Mald-san, where might you be going?" Itsuki asked as he noticed his most trusted party member leaving the manor. As a nobleman, Mald allowed Itsuki to live in his house and offer all services and comfort befitting for a Hero like himself.
"I'm just going out for a trip, Itsuki-sama. I'll probably be gone for half a day or so. It shouldn't take long." Mald answered. That was a lie of course, because of his plot with the Captain to sabotage Asuka's first outing as a mercenary. And naturally, Itsuki didn't need to know what wouldn't hurt him.
"I see. You are entitled to your own personal business. Take care." Itsuki said.
"Thank you for your understanding. By the way, did you hear the latest regarding the Sword Hero?"
"About how she argued with and threatened to kill the King?" Itsuki frowned, "I understand where she's coming from, but it doesn't justify threatening a person in position in power, even if he probably deserved it."
"I agree! That's why she must be taught the error of her ways." Mald said.
"What do you mean?"
"You must show that wench what a real Hero is. If you don't show how exemplarily you are as a Cardinal Hero, none of the other Heroes will follow suit."
"Are you suggesting it's my fault for their behavior?" Itsuki asked.
"Of course I am not! I'm saying only you have the potential to be the greatest of all the Cardinal Heroes! And what kind of Hero would you be if you couldn't impart your example onto them?"
"You make an excellent point." Itsuki smiled, "Because you have such confidence in me, I'll do my best to show them, and everyone in this country my brand justice and Heroism." Itsuki's eyes were filled with a deluded sense of determination.
"I know we can count on you." Mald smirked. Manipulating this brat was so easy. Just stroke his ego, and he was putty in the hands of the arrogant tin tyrant. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Itsuki-sama, I must attend to my trip."
"Ah yes! Sorry to keep you." Itsuki said, and left the house on his own business.
Meanwhile, Mald was on his way to Lute for his and the Captain's plot against the Sword Hero.
[-Lute Village-]
It didn't take the Sword Hero's party very long to reach Lute Village.
Lute was small, but the people there were welcoming and friendly.
Immediately after setting foot there, they go straight to the Lord's manor. It wasn't as big as Richter's mansion, but it was still fairly impressive.
They meet with Lute's Lord in his office.
"Thank you for taking the time to out of your day to visit us, even though you're recovering from the outcome of that… Sacred Duel, Sword Hero-sama." said the Lute Lord. He heard what happened in the capital from his niece.
"No problem, sir. I'm happy to help." Asuka smiled the lord, "I've heard plenty of apologies, so you don't need to say anything." Asuka said politely, "And I'm feeling a little better after some rest. I can't afford to let the negative experiences so far affect me too much."
"I see. You are very strong, Lady Hero." said Lute Lord, "Now, without further delay, you received the request latter from Lord Vento, yes?"
"That's right. The latter said you wanted us to exterminate the monsters prowling around here."
"Indeed. Most adventures and knights had taken care of a few, but there are still quite a number of those otherworldly beasts harassing us." the Lute Lord explained.
"Otherworldly?"
"Yes. Most of those creatures were left over from the First Wave of Catastrophe."
"Are you serious?" asked Asuka. She assumed Melromarc's knights and adventures had killed all of the monsters from the First Wave. Then again, it probably wasn't the perfect defense for Melromarc, so several invading monsters must have survived and were taking refuge near towns and villages like this one.
"Unfortunately, that's correct. Many of them have congregated in the mine outside of the village." the Lute Lord answered.
"I see… I'm sorry to hear that." Asuka said. She remembered what Naofumi told her about his and Raphtalia's encounter with that two headed dog monster.
"Don't be. A miserable little village like ours wouldn't be noticed very well by the knights, or even the Cardinal Heroes, besides you at the moment."
"And because of that, you didn't think to ask Motoyasu-kun and Itsuki-kun to help you guys?"
"We did try, but the Spear and Bow Heroes were always too busy with their quests. As for the Shield Hero, I have my doubts he would accept a request from us, given how the people in the capital have treated him."
"Those… are unsurprisingly valid…"
"And in your case, Lady Hero, since you've endured similar treatment for standing up for the Shield Hero and Demi-humans, as well as rightfully opposing the King for his actions, I assumed you would be less eager to help us as well as a result. But, now that I know you've taken up mercenary work, my desperation to protect my village drove me to ask you immediately to deal with these monsters. You may have less than pleasant feelings toward us, but please accept this job. The village and I will pay you whatever it takes, even if it costs us all our money!" The Lute Lord bowed his head low as he begged for the Sword Hero's help.
"O-Okay, there's no need for that!" Asuka said, "I will help you guys, but not if you give me all of the money in the village. So if possible, I would like just a small reward."
"Oh, thank you, Sword Hero-sama! You truly are kind!"
"It's not a big deal. I'm happy to help in any way I can." Asuka said, "So, can you tell me what kinds of monsters are hiding in the mines?"
"It's difficult to say, but I think they won't be too much of a problem for you." answered the Lord, "Also, if our payment isn't enough, the mines have good material for you sell for decent prices. Please, keep that mind."
"Understood!" Asuka stood up from her chair and turned to Rino and Conan, "Before we go, I'd like to make sure you both are okay with this as our first job."
"To be honest, I am a little nervous, but I'm okay. I've got my new sword, and we can depend on each other." Rino answered.
"That's good to hear. And you, Conan-kun?" Asuka turned to the wolf boy, "You're not up to our level yet, so maybe you should stay here."
"No. I can fight…"
"Well, if you're sure. Try to stay close, okay?"
Conan gave a short nod.
"Uncle, I'm home!" called a familiar voice to not just Asuka, but the Lute Lord himself.
Entering the room was Evelyn, dressed in normal clothes consisting of green tunic and white long skirt.
"Evelyn-san?" Asuka exclaimed in surprise.
"Asuka-san?!" Evelyn immediately dashed over to the Sword Hero with unabashed concern. "Thank god you're alright! I've been worried! How are you feeling after that disgraceful duel?"
"I-I'm fine for the most part. I can't afford to rest when the Second Wave is coming." Asuka answered, "By the way, why are you here?"
"Oh, I suppose I never told you, have I? Lute Village is where I originally came from." Evelyn replied, "After what has been going on lately, I thought I'd take some time off and visit my hometown."
"Really?"
"Yes. In addition to that, Evelyn is my niece." said the Lord with a proud smile, "She told me much about you, Lady Hero. That is part of why I asked for your help."
"Oh, I see."
"Still, I am glad to see you're doing well, Evelyn. Being a receptionist at the guild must be stressful work." The Lord came up to his niece and gave her a tender hug.
"It is, but it's satisfying if I can help Lute in some way. That's why I took the job." said Evelyn, hugging her uncle back.
Asuka smiled at the interaction between uncle and niece, glad to see them reunite. She felt a little envious as well; as she wished she could see her grandfather and give him a hug too. She could really use one after all she had been through.
"By the way, Asuka-san, the Spear Hero has been asking about you since the duel." Evelyn revealed to Asuka after parting form her uncle.
"Motoyasu-kun…?" Asuka groaned. Rino and Conan were also exasperated to hear about the Spear Hero.
"I guess he hasn't learned anything from that… event." Evelyn scowled, "Especially since Princess Malty is still in his party."
"I swear that Spear Hero is a disgrace and a failure." said Lute Lord, with clear distaste for Motoyasu, "What's really not helping him is the fact that King Aultcray and his eldest daughter are enabling his negative behavior. Queen Mirellia would not tolerate this at all. If this keeps up, I can't imagine it will end well."
"The one with the restriction should be him, not Asuka-san. In more ways than one!" Evelyn said.
"Can we… talk about something else?" Asuka asked. She really didn't want to talk about or hear anything else about Motoyasu at the moment. Seeing how uncomfortable she was, the Evelyn and her uncle decide to change the subject.
"A-Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, you're talking up mercenary work now, yes?" Evelyn asked Asuka.
"Yep, and my first job is here in Lute." Asuka happily replied.
"I asked her to deal with the monsters prowling around the village." said Lute Lord.
"I see. That's wonderful." Evelyn smiled.
A moment later, a servant entered the room. The servant seemed panicked.
"Pardon the interruption, milord! The Captain of the Royal Knights has come!"
"The Captain? What could he want?" asked the Lord.
As if on cue, the Captain strutted his way in, arrogant as usual.
"Pardon my unexpected visit, Lord of Lute." said the Captain.
Asuka scowled at him for his rudeness, as did Conan, as he remembered him as the man who tried to have him arrested.
"P-Please, Captain! If you could just wait a moment…" the Lord said timidly.
"I'm afraid I can't. You see, I have business with the Sword Hero." the Captain replied, his flippant gaze falling to the confused Asuka.
"With me?"
"What could you want with Asuka?" Rino asked.
"I simply wish to atone for my rudeness before." the Captain answered, "I heard you were heading to Lute Village for your first job as a mercenary. You did marvelously dealing with those bandits near Callma Village, so I'm sure you'll have little trouble here as well. That being said, I'll be the first to admit, it was my negligence that led to those people suffering. That is why I want to make sure not to make the same mistake here in Lute."
"Really?" Asuka eyed the Captain with full suspicion. There was no way he saw the light that easily.
"Yes. However, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the surrounds of this village. That's why I'd like to offer you my subordinate's aid, for he is from Lute and knows the surrounding area well." the Captain motioned for said subordinate come in.
To Asuka's surprise, it was the youthful knight she had met before. This also came as a surprise to Evelyn, as she had known Ake for years.
"H-Hello, Sword Hero-sama." the young knight said timidly, noticing the surprise on Asuka and Rino's face. He also caught sight of Evelyn and her uncle's looks of concern.
"You… from before…" Asuka's face fell, as she remembered when he desperately pulled on her skirt to get her cooperation, and how she kicked him in the face to get him to let go.
"M-My name is Ake, Lady Hero. And I know you probably don't want to hear it, but I must express my deepest apologizes for embarrassing you the other day." Ake bowed his head in front of Asuka, who quickly became embarrassed.
"The other day?" Evelyn asked.
"I-It's nothing! I was in the capital for a bit, and he asked me to go see the King!" Asuka explained, hoping to not get him in trouble.
"But, he just said he embarrassed you. How-"
"It's nothing! We just got into a slight tussle!" Asuka lied in desperation.
On the Sword Hero's behalf, Evelyn decided to leave it alone for now, but she would question Ake about it later.
"Ahem! Please, take him with you. He may be a recent addition to our line of work, but he's an earnest and hardworking boy. I'm sure he won't fail in his task." said Captain, as he put a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. This made Ake visibly nervous.
"And what're you going to do while he's with us?" Rino asked the Captain.
"Me? I'm going to ensure the safety of the people, of course! That's a knight's duty, after all!" the Captain proclaimed.
"Please, allow me to accompany you, Sword Hero-sama! I won't hold you back, I promise!" Ake begged.
"Okay, I get it! Just stop that!" Asuka said, "But, I don't think it's necessary. My friends and I can manage by ourselves."
"No! I must make up for my disrespectful behavior towards you! A man, let alone a knight, must never-Mph!" Ake's mouth was clamped shut by the Sword Hero's hand. She moved at blinding speed across the room to prevent him from spilling about him pulling on her skirt.
"Tell you what… I'll take you along, but only if you stop begging or calling attention to that incident. Okay?" Asuka whispered as she let go. She had faux friendly smile on her face as she said this.
"Y-Yes ma'am... I'm sorry." an intimidated Ake replied.
|Added Temp. Party Member: Ake|
"Stop apologizing." Asuka sighed, before putting on an actual friendly smile for the young knight, "Anyway, let's get along, alright Ake-kun?"
"Thank you for this opportunity. I won't let you down." Ake said in gratitude. He had always wanted to work with a Cardinal Hero, and it brought him great joy to be able to work with the Sword Hero.
"Rino-chan, Conan-kun, let's go!" Asuka called to her party.
"Y-Yeah…" Rino replied as she and Conan followed their party leader and the young knight out.
"Evelyn-san, we can talk later, okay?"
"Yes. Be safe out there, Asuka-san." Evelyn said, before turning to Ake, "You'd better be a good guide, Ake."
"Of course! I'll do my best!"
Meanwhile, the Captain smirked, as this was all going according to plan. Even with that damnable speed of hers, that Sword Fake won't get out of what's in store for her outside this backwater village unscathed.
While outside the village, Ake lead the Sword Hero's party through the forest areas surrounding Lute, looking any monsters lurking in the shadows.
"Please follow me. I'll take point and alert you if any monsters show up in front of me." said Ake.
"Okay. We'll do the same if something surprises us. We all need to keep a look out and be ready for anything." Asuka replied.
The four continued their patrol for several minutes. They found a few monsters along the way, but where easily dealt with. They weren't anything special, but they did provide good EXP for Conan after he killed them. To Asuka's surprise, she and Rino gained EXP as well, albeit small due to their higher levels. Rino and Ake explained that it was because Asuka had set her party members up as Companions the minute she accepted them, and as Companions, the party shared the EXP after killing a monster.
Back on patrol, Rino decided to voice her certain concerns about the Captain.
"Hey, Asuka, about that Captain…" Rino whispered to Asuka.
"I know… I don't trust him." Asuka whispered back, "I only met him once, and I get the since that he wouldn't change his tone so readily."
"Yeah… come to think of it, I think he's always been like that. Not that I've met him personally up until that day, but I heard he was a real arrogant ass who simply got lucky to get his position."
"I can just imagine King Trash giving him that position for some unremarkable deed." Asuka grumbled, "Putting that aside, that Captain must be up to something. We should keep our guard up."
"Roger that. But, what about him?" Rino pointed her gaze at the unaware Ake.
"I think we can trust him. He's a good guy, and he certainly gives that impression. I have sincere doubts he's in on whatever the Captain's scheme is. He and Evelyn-san appear to know each other, too, so that's reassuring."
"Yeah, he's way too honest and straightforward… and really stupid." Rino grumbled, remembering how he had to pull on Asuka's skirt to convince to come with him to the castle.
"Can we not discuss what happened that time anymore, please…?" Asuka bemoaned.
"Sorry, but I can't quite shake that whole thing." Rino grumbled.
Conan stayed silent, because he didn't understand what the two girls were talking about. Asuka seemed to be acting weird because of it. Why did this knight, whom he didn't trust at all, seem to bother Asuka so much? The reaction she had to that knight's statements mirrored how embarrassed he was when Asuka stripped right in front of him. It annoyed him that she didn't seem to feel as much as he did. And what about the time she snuck into his room at the old man's house? She was so close to him and she didn't think anything of it. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became.
"Hehe, but you know…" Asuka chuckled, "This does take me back, though."
"Hm? What does?" Rino asked.
"This is kinda how my first quest as an adventurer went, except not as great." Asuka replied. She began remembering how she took on her first quest at the Adventurer's Guild.
[-Flashback: Four Weeks Ago, After the Trial: Adventurer's Guild-]
It was a quiet day at the Adventurer's Guild. The adventurers and staff went about their business.
However, nothing prepared the receptionists for the new adventurer to come in and go to one of them directly. It was a solemn Asuka, after the damned trial that ruined everything between her and her fellow Heroes, and basically tainted this world horribly in her eyes.
"Excuse me… I was told that I took take quests here." said Asuka as she approached the receptionist, who was beautiful and slender young adult woman who had long auburn hair, tied in an elegant side tail. This woman was Evelyn, who was very surprised to meet the Sword Hero in person.
"O-Oh, are you by chance the Sword Hero?" Evelyn asked, a little startled, "I noticed that you're carrying the Legendary Sword from the old legends…"
"Yes. My name is Asuka." the Sword Hero introduced herself politely and sternly, "If I'm not mistaken, I was pre-registered as an adventurer in this guild, right?"
"T-That's right. I'm assuming you have experience taking care of monsters like the balloons outside the walls?"
"Yes, and I gain enough experience to level up pretty fast, but I need start completing actual quests if I want to get stronger. The balloons won't cut it anymore." Asuka answered honestly, "So, how does accepting quests work here?"
"I thought you were already familiar with this sort of thing?"
"To be honest, I'm not entirely familiar with questing. I know about quests and they can help me level up, but I've never actually done this for real before." Asuka answered. Actually, back in her world, she and her classmates did accept requests from mayor of Asakusa to deal with thugs and enemy shinobi making disturbances on the streets. They were sort of like quests in a way. Now in this world, she needed to familiarize herself with how quests work here. They seemed to be like in those fantasy RPGs Hibari played.
"Hmm, well…" Evelyn motioned for Asuka to look to her left, "Do you see that board on the wall?"
Asuka turned to the wall on her left, and found the standard quest board, with several job requests on it with varying difficulties and reward prices.
"That's the quest board. If you are familiar with this, you'll know all that you can select and take on a job request that was recently posted. Lower ranked adventurers take on these quests to gain EXP, but if the more well known adventurers, like say a Hero such as yourself, some costumers will personally request you for a job." Evelyn explained.
"I see. I'm a beginner, so I should start with the quests befitting for my current level then?" Asuka asked.
"That's how it works. Go ahead pick out which you think is safe. Once that's done, show it to me for approval."
"I can't read this world's language."
"Oh, if I remember correctly, you and the other Heroes came from another world, didn't you? In that case, just choose which one strikes your fancy and show it to me."
Asuka did as instructed, while the receptionist began to contemplate. There were quite a few beginner level quests. She found one in particular that had a picture of a large life on it. Seeing its teeth reminded her of Orochi somewhat. Anger and sadness swelled within her. Perhaps that was why she wound up picking it.
"How's this?" Asuka presented a job request flier to Evelyn.
The receptionist quickly scanned the paper, "Exterminate Dire-Wolf pack near village in the north. Reward: 75 Copper."
"This is okay, right?"
"Yes, but are you sure you want to take on a low paying job like that? And, Dire-wolves aren't exactly easy to handle alone."
"I can manage on my own. Yes, money is a concern, but these people asked for help through this flier, which is why I decided to take it. Is that a problem?" Asuka asked with a scowl.
"N-No, not at all!" Evelyn put on an uneasy smile, "Anyway, the quest flier has a map leading to this village's location. It looks like it's near the northern mountains. You'll want to speak with the village chief. Travel will take about two days on foot."
"I see. Thanks for the info." Asuka turned around and briskly walked away with the quest flier in her hand.
"W-Well, that is part of my job. Good luck on your first quest, Sword Hero-sama!" Evelyn called out to the Sword Hero, but was ignored.
Without a word, Asuka simply trotted toward the Adventure's Guild hall exit, all the while, several adventurers gave her some mean looks.
"There she is… the Sword Hero."
"Is she really allowed to take job requests after defending the Shield Hero and threatening the King's life?"
"She's also against Demi-human slavery, too. I don't care much for 'em, but she should just mind her own business."
"Why did someone like her get chosen to be the Sword Hero?"
"Leave her be. I hear Dire-Wolves are pretty vicious. She probably won't last long without a party."
Asuka stopped and glanced at the adventurers gossiping about her. They stopped what they were doing and looked away in awkward silence.
The Sword Hero bore a scowl before making her exit. She had already grown sick of this, and simply wanted to get out of Castle-Town as quickly as possible and hoped to be away from the capital, even if it was for a few days, if only just to get away from the whispers and jeers of this unpleasant place.
Asuka traveled the road leading the northern mountains. She didn't feel like paying for transportation, as that meant more people to deal with. Time to herself was all she wanted at the moment.
In the middle of the night, Asuka set up camp in a cave in the middle of the forest. She had made a small campfire with the old fashion sticks and stones. As a Shinobi, she trained on how to survive in the wilderness. She learned how to hunt for woodland creatures in case she in need of food, and luckily for her, there were low level monsters around she could kill with ease.
Like mushroom and rabbit monsters. She didn't really see any use in absorbing the mushroom monsters, but the rabbit monster parts she took from it gave her a Series of Swords to tinker with.
"So, using different monster parts gets me new swords and abilities…" Asuka mumbled to herself.
From unlocking the Usapil Series she gained the following:
UsaPaw Sword
Base Attack: Plus 1
Equip Bonus Skill: AGI 3
UsaBone Sword
Base Attack: Plus 1
Equip Bonus Skill: Stamina Up (Small)
UsaLeather Sword
Base Attack: Plus 1
Equip bonus: Cold Resistance 1
UsaMeat Sword
Base Attack: Plus 1
Equip bonus: Dissection Ability
The Cold Resistance came in handy, as it was rather chilly at night. The Dissection Ability also helped with fried rabbit and mushroom. If she had better cooking utensils, she could have made something better than this.
However, she had no right to complain now. She made the choice to be on her own, and she had to stick with it.
Although, while the rabbit was at least edible, the mushroom made her sick, just a tiny bit. Likely because they weren't the kind of mushrooms she was used to eating, and she didn't have a way to identify monster mushrooms.
Following the makeshift dinner, she had trouble getting to sleep, mainly because her stomach was still upset from the mushrooms.
"I'll never eat mushroom monsters again as long as I live…" the poor Sword Hero whined.
It wasn't until she finally went to sleep that she began having nightmares of the day she was killed by Orochi, with the addition of Naofumi's trial.
The look of absolute rage on his face as he condemned the people who persecuted him was something she could never forget. She especially couldn't forget the distant and mistrustful expression on his face as he told her that couldn't trust anyone, not even Asuka herself. Most damning of all was the smug looks on Motoyasu, Itsuki, Aultcray, and that Vile Princess, as they look down upon the broken Shield Hero.
She'd never forgive them for what they did to him, and how they used her for their selfish blame game. It made her sick how they treated her like a helpless victim. No, it was more like they treated her like a helpless woman or child, unfit to be a warrior in their eyes.
On some level, Motoyasu and Itsuki must have thought of themselves as superior because she was the youngest among the Four Cardinal Heroes, and possibly because they were male. If that were the case, that was all the more infuriating.
King Aultcray was utterly unfit to be King if he intentionally caused chaos among the Four Heroes simply because he hated the Shield Hero, and allowed his spoiled brat of a daughter to get away with her crimes.
Speaking of Malty… Myne… whichever, she had to be the single worst human being Asuka had ever come across in her life. It really surprised her how she could establish herself as a deceitful witch in just two days. And from what she learned after the trial, that Princess was unlikely to change her ways and repent for her evil deeds, because her father protected and spoiled her.
Asuka swore that she would win the duel and clear Naofumi's name, no matter what. And to do that, she had to grow stronger in three weeks to reach level twenty.
Morning came, and Asuka awoke, while bitter about her nightmare, was determined to fulfill her promise.
Heading north, Asuka eventually came across the village where the request came from. The village looked rather poor, and it seemed to be a bit rundown. It probably explained the low pay.
She quickly spoke with the village chief, who relayed how the pack of dire-wolves had been wrecking crops and killing livestock. After hearing this, Asuka promised to take care of all of the dire-wolves. He was surprised to see that she would go by herself, but she assured that she would be fine. Following this, she headed to the mountains, were the dire-wolf pack lived.
It didn't take long to the entrance to the pack's cave minutes later.
Taking a deep breath, she treaded her way inside. Upon setting foot into the cave, she immediately sensed an intense amount of blood lust. The dire-wolves already knew she was there, invading their territory.
From the shadows of the cave, the dire-wolves emerged, fangs bared and eyes glowing with killer instinct. To her surprise, the dire-wolves here were larger and more imposing in comparison to their much smaller cousins in her world, possibly as big as a tiger.
There were six to eight of them, and they were poised to attack at any given moment.
Asuka, knowing that she was in for an immediate fight, drew her Legendary Sword and got into battle position.
However, as she stared down her opposition, the flashes of Orochi and its insidious tentacles were projected onto the snarling dire-wolves.
She began to sweat upon seeing the hallucinations. The memory of the demise of all her friends flashed before her eyes.
Noticing the intruder's lack of killing intent, the dire-wolves pounce toward her.
Snapping back to her senses, Asuka dodged one of the dire-wolves as it prepared to gnaw at her shoulder. She jumped over a second and third attacker as they lunged toward her.
Seeing a chance, she quickly dispatched the dire-wolves below her, slicing them to bits. As their blood spilled, Asuka began to see the images of her friends as they were slaughtered by Orochi.
Landing on the ground, Asuka breathed heavily from the vision. The stress of the fight and the visions of the past began to wear on her resolve and she was starting to tire. This was a costly mistake, as a fourth dire-wolf snuck up behind her, intent on avenging its comrades. This was much bigger and more fearsome looking than the others. It was most likely the alpha pack leader.
It lunged toward the Sword Hero with a snarl, and prepared to immobilize its target with a strong bite.
With barely any time to react, she blocked the on-coming attack from the alpha using her sword. The alpha clasped its maw down on the sword and pushed the Sword Hero down on her back as she struggled to keep it at bay. She was completely helpless.
The rest began to slowly surround Asuka, licking their chops.
"Dammit!" Asuka cursed.
New visions began to flash as the feeling of helplessness began to set in.
She began to think of the trial not too long ago. Naofumi must have felt this way when he was dragged against his will to stand trial for crimes he never committed, being betrayed by people he thought he could trust, while being surrounded by icy cold stares. Of course, her situation was much worse, because she was able to be devoured by a pack of ravenous dire-wolves and she had no one to help her. Just like when she made her last stand against Orochi before it incinerated her. She was going to die again, pinned down and helpless.
"I can't…" Asuka began tearing up and awaited the grizzly fate in store for her. That is, until the wise words of her grandfather rang in her ear.
"Asuka… you're independent sword, without a compatible shield."
"Grandpa…"
She wasn't sure why, but she began thinking about to when she was a child. She wasn't always the friendly and cheerful girl she was today. Instead, she was something of a problem child, as she often picked fights with boys and girls alike. They were afraid of her for this, and they certainly feared angering her. Her parents were unsure of what to do or why she acted like that. Not even Asuka knew, and it frustrated her like any child, so she lashed out.
Eventually, Hanzo came into the picture. She was always able to get along with her family, especially her grandfather. It was he who told her that without a compatible shield, she was just an unfocused and directionless sword. He told that her that if she was to find the balance in herself, she must become a Sword and Shield who protects those who cannot defend themselves. That was what gave Asuka pause for thought. Was that why she was so angry and frustrated? Because she lacked direction? Lacked purpose?
Looking back, she was physically stronger than other children her age. She often wondered if she was supposed to protect them using that strength. Because they were weak and unable to fight back? When she thought about it more, she never really wanted others to be afraid of her. She simply didn't know how to make friends, or how to make them feel safe. She tried changing her approach, trying to be a calmer person to the other kids, and try to be friendly to get them to see that she wasn't so scary.
It didn't pan out like she had hoped, as they didn't trust her, and even the boys came back to avenge their previous defeat. She didn't give up, though. Even back then, she was stubborn.
One day however, a big and vicious dog showed up at the park the kids usually played at. The kids were scared of the dog, and ran away, but only Asuka remained. She saw how frightened of the dog they were, and felt a strange compelling feeling of protectiveness. She kept thinking she needed to fight, needed to protect them. She was the first to challenge the dog and fight it, and while she sustained many bruises and bite marks, she managed to chase the dog away.
That was when the children's perception of Asuka changed for the better. They gathered around her, awestruck by her courage, and worried about her injuries.
She felt embarrassed, receiving this kind of attention from the boys and girls, but it wasn't bad. In fact, she felt really good about herself.
She told her family what had happened after her injuries were taken care of, and while her parents weren't happy to hear she got into a fight with a stray dog and came home covered in dirt and blood, they nonetheless were proud of their daughter for being brave enough to defend the kids that previously did not trust or believe in her. Praise especially came from Hanzo, who decided then and there that it was time for her ninja training to begin, feeling she was ready.
That meant leaving behind her old identity and her new friends. Asuka was initially hesitant, but she agreed to it, because she knew she had to carry on Hanzo's name as his successor in the Shinobi world. The training was rough, and sometimes, she even cried and lost confidence in herself. But, remembering the courage she had that day helped her persevere. To be the Sword and Shield that protects the innocent; that was her goal, much like her grandfather, and especially, much like her classmates.
The courage she had that day, spirit of her fallen comrades, her grandfathers words of wisdom. These factors were all she needed to carry on and keep fighting, even today.
Suddenly, her resolve to fight came back. Using all of her strength, she pushed back the alpha back. Forcing it to release her sword, she quickly stabbed it in the throat, killing it and spilling its blood.
Angered by their leader's death, the remaining four charged in to kill the intruder.
"HAAAAHH!" with a might battle cry, Asuka lunged to her targets, and while the battle was long and taxing, with swift and power strikes, especially from her Sword Skills, Slant Slash, killed them all.
Moments later, the Sword Hero stood tall, covered in blood. Her breath was haggard, and she had gotten some bites from the dire-wolves, but they were nothing she could walk away from. She scanned her surroundings. Blood and guts were everywhere.
In games, monsters would just disappear after they were slain. But here, in this world… even though she knew right from the start, this sight could only reiterate the grim realization.
"This… is not a game. This is reality…" she muttered.
After recomposing herself, she collected materials to feed her sword from the nearest dire-wolf corpses. She honest had misgivings about using dead monster parts to gain strengths and skills, but these were the rules of this world. Thanks to killing these beasts, the Sword Hero gained a good amount of EXP and leveled up twice, likely thanks to killing the alpha, since it was the strongest out all of the pack.
|Level Up: 7|
She also gained new skills from the dire-wolf parts absorbed into the Legendary Sword.
|Unlocked: Dire-Wolf Series|
Dire-Wolf Bone Sword
Base Attack: Plus 12
Equip Bonus: DEF 12
Dire-Wolf Fang Sword
Base Attack: Plus 25
Equip Bonus Skill: Wolf Soul Bite – Current Mastery 00%
Dire-Wolf Snout Sword
Base Attack: Plus 4
Equip Bonus Skill: Enhanced Scent Detection – Current Mastery 00%
Dire-Wolf Hide Sword
Base Attack: Plus 3
Equip Bonus: Cold Residence Up
Asuka didn't take a whole lot from the dead dire-wolf, just what seemed useful. She had taken some parts from the alpha as well, but it seemed she was not at the right level to be able to use them.
Following this, Asuka decided it was time to go. She needed to tell the village chief that she completed her quest.
She suddenly heard whimpering noises from the cave. She turned to the direction of the noises and saw three wolf cubs curiously walking to their now dead elders. The cubs couldn't be any older than a few months, and could only stay in the den, safe and away from other predators.
They may not have known much at this stage, but they seemed to realize that the elders were dead, as evident by their mournful howling, as heeded by instinct.
Now that their only source of protection was gone, there was no way they could survive. Guilty, for killing their family members washed over Asuka. She placed her sword at her hip, and kneeled down to the cubs.
"I'm sorry. I don't think your relatives will be coming back." she sadly said. The cubs approached cautiously. They didn't seem to see her as a threat.
However, her job was to ensure that all of the dire-wolves were exterminated. Unfortunately, that included these cubs. The villagers would surely not want to adapt. And rather than let them suffer a cruel of being devoured by larger predators in the area, there was only one option left.
"I'm really sorry…"
[-Flashback End: Present Day: Outskirts of Lute Village-]
"After that, I kept taking on quest after quest, just so I could gain more strength for the duel with Motoyasu-kun and eventually the Waves of Catastrophe." Asuka explained. There was guilt in her eyes as she spoke of the cubs. She still thought about them sometimes, and wished she could have spared them. She was once told that she saw the beauty in everything, and she considered life worth protecting. Reluctantly going against that belief for a moment still plagued her mind with guilt for snuffing those innocent lives. At the very least, she put them to rest quickly and without any pain, so they didn't suffer.
As much as she hated taking life, she still had to do what she needed to get stronger. Training on her own did help sooth her mind for a bit, but it still stuck with her. Getting to know Evelyn and the other receptionist over time certainly helped too.
"Wow… that must have been tough on your own. You didn't have a party because you voluntarily decided you didn't want one, from what I heard before joining Motoyasu." said Rino, after having listened to how Asuka's first adventurer's quest went.
Conan was silent as per usual as he listened to Asuka and Rino.
"She was alone from the start…" He thought, "Asuka had been fighting alone this whole time, because she believed in the Shield Hero, and no one believed in her. She really is different from the Sword Hero in the legends."
"It was. But, I got through it because I knew had to get stronger, so I could clear Naofumi-kun's name and end the threat of the Waves." said Asuka, "Of course, being alone all that time was pretty frustrating and sad."
"Yeah, but we're here now. And you can bet we have your back this time around. We are a party, after all. Right, Conan?" Rino asked to the wolf/fox boy. He didn't give an immediately reply, but he nodded like usual.
"Great. Thanks guys!" Asuka smiled with great appreciation.
However, her in grained Shinobi senses picked danger heading toward her group very quickly. In a split second, she caught something in her hand that was aimed specifically toward her. The object was some kind of dart. Or, if her knowledge of weaponry was accurate, a bolt, probably fired from a long ranged weapon, like a crossbow.
"Whoa! What was that?!" Rino gasped.
"Is everything alright?" Ake came running to the Sword Hero's party after hearing the commotion.
"Something came flying at Asuka!"
"What? Sword Hero-sama, are you alight?"
"I'm fine." Asuka answered calmly. She exanimed the crossbow bolt, and with her Enhanced Scent Detection, she found traces of poison coated on it.
"No more games! This ends now!" Mald proclaimed.
"You're right…" spoke a familiar. Mald looked behind and saw Asuka standing to her feet. Her steely gaze was pointed straight at him. In her hand, she held an empty bottle until she dropped it.
"Oh… look who is it." Mald smirked, "You managed to prop yourself up with an antidote, but you're still hurting after that beating I gave you, aren't you?"
"Yeah… I have a few health potions too, but I'm not going to use them for myself. As soon as I beat you, I'll use it to help my friends."
"Hahaha! Yeah, right! In your state, I can knock you down with hand!" Mald bragged.
"Says the man who poisoned me first before kicking me while I was down. For all your boasting and arrogance, you're clearly a coward wearing nice and shiny armor, which I'm going to break into pieces in a few seconds… ugh…" Asuka knelt down on one leg as her injuries caught up to her.
Mald wasn't surprised by this. In fact, this brought him great joy. She was hurting, and at his mercy. Her eyes even looked dead, like she was accepting defeat.
"See? You're stupid if you think I can be bested by the likes of you." Mald marched to weaken Sword Hero, with gleeful anticipation. "Here, I'll do us both a favor and put you out of commission. You won't die, but I'll make sure you won't be fighting again, by making sure you know to fear someone vastly superior."
Raising his balled fist, Mald was prepare to give the Sword Wench another beating, this time hoping to put some fear into her. However, she suddenly vanished. His confused was short lived when he felt a slash across his chest, cutting through his chest plate and at his flesh. Strangely, no blood was seen, but in its place was a faint grayish light seeping out.
The light made its way to Asuka's sword, as it took on a form never before seen.
The blade was slightly thinner than most swords. Its hilt and grip were dark gray, and the hilt had notable bony spikes at the end. At its center, the jewel on the Legendary Sword's new form had turned dark blue and gave off an eerie glow.
Mald, suddenly feeling very tired, collapsed to his knees. It was like his vitality was drained. With what strength he had left, he turned his head back to face the Sword Wench who clearly stroke him somehow, and slipped past his sight to get behind him.
"W-What the hell… how did… what did you do to me?!"
"I don't know… and I don't really care." Asuka answered as she stood up straight and her injuries no longer bothering her, due to them completely healing up after taking a slash at Mald's body. She had no emotion on her face and eyes at stared down her opponent. Her voice was equally cold and un-emotive. "This is really tiresome, so I'll end this game now."
"W-Wait!"
SLASH/CRACK/BREAK!
Within mere second, Asuka fulfilled her promise to break Mald's armor to pieces, having cut and slashed at every piece at near lightning speed, stripping him of his armor and his vitality, as that was the Sloth Sword's main ability.
With his armor gone and only his tattered clothing beneath remaining, Mald was launched high into the air and lost consciousness mid-flight. He eventually landed on the ground, flat on his back.
Meanwhile, Asuka took time to examine her sword's new form. She seemed to have regained some of her emotion.
"So, this is the Sloth Sword… it looks like it can drain a person's energy when a cut them. It even restores my health, stamina, and heals my injuries. The skill itself is called Vitality Drain." Asuka could see her HP slowly rise back to its maximum number while the wounds she suffered just now repair themselves. Still, her emotions seemed to be suppressed after switching to this sword. They weren't totally gone. The positive feelings in her personality were being overwhelmed by negative ones, like apathy and anger.
"I don't like this. As I'm holding this sword, I can feel negative emotions flood my mind." Asuka thought, "Is this the Curse Series effect on me?"
She looked to Mald, still sprawled out in the dirt, unconscious. Any rational thought she had vanished from her mind as she laid her cold and narrow eyes on him. This tin plated idiot and that piss poor excuse for a Captain thought they could get away with attempting to do harm to her and her party? All of this because she disbanded her party and rejected his services? Because he thought Itsuki was the better Hero? Because he hated Demi-humans and looked down on women for her no reason other than to be as unpleasant as possible? Just for those petty reasons?
He was just like that Trash King and that woman. He cared only for his self-satisfaction and his arrogant delusions of superiority. Despite all of her best efforts to remain tolerant, they wouldn't stop harassing her. It was ridiculous, and Asuka has had enough of it.
"It's such a pain. All of these arrogant people attacking me just because I don't agree with how they think. Why do I have to keep putting up with this? They'll never leave me alone." Asuka muttered as she slowly approached the nobleman. "Maybe… if I kill him, the Captain, that woman and her father… all of my troubles will be over…"
Asuka slowly raised the Sloth Sword and was prepared to finish the man who caused her this much brief today off, once and for all.
Lyall the Werewolf: Chills! So, we finally get to see what the Sloth Sword can do. I had some trouble trying to come up with how Asuka would act under the influence of the Sloth Curse. Rather than getting suicidal out of laziness, I figured reserving her usual compassionate personality and turning it apathetic would be a step in the right direction. All she wants is to be left alone, but the bad people of Melromarc just keep pushing her buttons and dredging up unpleasant feelings within her.
Victor John Foxfire said in his review of chapter 08 that the Curse Series weapons of Shield Hero tended to be one-sided, with no real drive to them. Wrath was mindless rage, for example. Naofumi eventually learned to control it, which is cool, but he never acted on his desire for revenge against those who wronged him.
So for Asuka, Sloth is driving her to feel apathetic and annoyed at people constantly standing in her way and making her life miserable, and she really doesn't want to deal with it. Therefore, she would make it stop by getting rid of the ones responsible for her misery.
So in this instance, Sloth for Asuka's Curse Series doesn't necessarily mean laziness. It's annoyance at so many bad things happening, it's just so bothersome, to the point of depressing.
Vitality Drain was something I came up with on the spot. I needed some kind of skill for the sword. I could think of something better, but I think I'll stick with this for now. I still have plans for the Sloth Series after all.
As for the part explaining Asuka's past, I added that, because we don't really know that much about Asuka's past, aside from her being a problem child and Hanzo straightening her out.
So, will Asuka kill Mald and go on a killing spree? We'll see next chapter!
