Naofumi felt regret. Much regret. He was questioning how much this old slime really knew.
"Swing the shield! Flow with it!" Orion told him firmly. "It's an attack!"
"I don't have an attack stat, Orion! You do because you have multiple weapons, but I don't!" Naofumi told him firmly.
"Doesn't matter. Follow the form. It's a dance. It's practice that strengthens your muscles," Orion told him as he showed the proper steps of the form.
Orion had started teaching forms like they were doing martial arts, but the forms were questionable.
Naofumi's forms were attack-based, and Motoyasu's were defense-based. They seemed reversed.
"Well…I guess strengthening is ok…" Naofumi kept following the form.
Motoyasu had left to grind for EXP a while ago.
Motoyasu and Naofumi had been trading places in training with Orion and going to grind for EXP, but Motoyasu got to go out more because he now knew the proper levelling technique and had been focused on catching up to Naofumi and Ren.
Orion suddenly switched to the legendary crossbow and shot at Naofumi.
Naofumi blocked and slid back, taking damage even from the small attack. "What was that about!?"
"Flow, Naofumi." Orion summoned a special Air Strike Shield with a reflection property. He then fired at it so the arrow would fly at himself. He changed to his shield and blocked it, but instead of trying to stop it, he guided the arrow away. His skill allowed him to not even budge. "Like this. And always be ready for an attack."
Naofumi saw the technique and nodded. He does know what he is doing, but I wish he would focus on my defensive abilities more…
Orion gave Naofumi a fatherly smile. "I know it's hard. I know it doesn't make sense, but it will eventually. And if it doesn't, it will help that unique Sentinel Shield of yours."
Naofumi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Thanks for taking the time to train me. I know I am complaining a lot." He bowed his head politely in thanks.
"It's not a problem. I am at level 350 already, so I have no reason to be out grinding. I just want to make sure you are ok." Orion awkwardly ruffled up Naofumi's hair like a dad would to his son. "You all remind me of my world's heroes. I want to make sure you are all safe."
Naofumi blinked in shock. 350? Geez… He knew level wasn't everything, but Orion had the skill to follow it up.
Raphtalia ran in to interrupt Naofumi's thoughts, a baby Filo on her head. "N-Naofumi! The egg hatched!"
Naofumi looked surprised again. He had forgotten when Filo was supposed to hatch! He ran over to check Filo out. "Well…it looks like she sees you as her mom, Raphtalia."
"So we're like…parents?" Raphtalia said hopefully.
Naofumi tilted his head obliviously. "What do you mean?"
Raphtalia pouted in annoyance. "Whatever…so what should we name it?"
"How about…Filo?" Naofumi said with a smile.
Filo didn't seem to like it this time.
"I like it. It's simple," Raphtalia said. "What do you think, Filo?"
Filo perked up when Raphtalia said it. "Weh!"
Naofumi chuckled as he added Filo to his party. "Well…it looks like we need to raise this one."
"Right on time it seems," Motoyasu said as he came in. He had been doing better thanks to holy water delivered by Ren, but his defense stat was still lowered thanks to using Curse of Longing. "Tag out, Naofumi?"
Naofumi nodded with a smile. "Don't eat before I get back. I'll make food tonight."
"Then I'll set up the table," Motoyasu said as he went to go to Orion.
Their living condition wasn't actually bad. The nearby farm had been abandoned, so Motoyasu and Naofumi's parties had been living in it. Sure the actual owner of the farm was probably annoyed, but…nothing would save his metal land, something that made Orion rather sad.
Buddy suddenly ran in. "Master Motoyasu! The egg is hatching!"
Motoyasu beamed in delight. "Pardon me, Orion! I need to see this!" He had recently regained his emotions and ability to feel excitement, but that also came with him finally realizing Buddy was not a puppy but indeed a full-grown grizzly bear. He decided…not to comment on it and adjust naturally.
"I want to see it too actually. I want to see how well you hatched it," Orion said with a face that clearly showed this was some sort of test.
Motoyasu, Buddy, and Orion ran back to the farm's house to look at the egg.
The egg shook and fell over on its side as it hatched, the shell cracking to show…what had to be the derpiest lizard Motoyasu had ever seen.
The swampstomper stood on all fours like a dog. Its legs were long and thick like an elephant's, and it had a long tail. It had a large mouth and bright red eyes. Its scales were a distinct black, and it had a dark blue belly.
"It's female. I can tell by how it isn't low to the ground," Buddy said, having done his research.
Orion blinked as he saw it. "Such unique life in this world…" He held his hand out to the dog-sized lizard, chuckling when it licked his hand.
"I think I will name her…Akame," Motoyasu said as he pet the lizard. He noticed the wingless dragon acted like a puppy, and he found that just adorable.
Orion suddenly nodded and dug out a small egg from his pocket, handing it to Motoyasu. "I wish for you to hatch this as well."
Motoyasu took the egg curiously. "What…is it?"
Orion was silent for a while. "You see how when I feed, the area turns to metal? That is how my species lives. We feed off of living things, including planets, and we do so until it is dead. That is why you saw me fighting my brother during the last Wave. He wants our species to consume this world next, while I want our species to die out for the salvation of all worlds." He gestured at the egg. "That's an experiment. A version of my kind that can feed like normal creatures instead. If it can live without harming the environment…well, I can die happily knowing my species can continue without harming more worlds."
Motoyasu looked at the egg before looking back to Orion. "So you intend to die?"
"Yes. For all worlds, none of my original kind can live," Orion told him. "You hold the hope of my species in your hands. Please, take good care of it."
Motoyasu continued petting Akame. "Well…of course I will do my best."
"Thank you." Orion bowed his head before looking at Akame. "The little one is hungry."
Buddy came back with sardines and avocados. "I looked up swampstomper diets. They will eat mostly anything, but they like fish, frogs, and avocados. Also a lot of whatever plant life floats in ponds…and moss… Let's make sure she doesn't get into a swamp, or we'll need to scrub the moss off of her." He gave Akame an avocado.
Akame took the whole thing and swallowed it whole. She seemed to really like it, so she let Buddy keep feeding her.
"Life is a beautiful thing… The Heroes of my world taught me that. I wish to fight for it, Motoyasu. I will fight until my last breath. Because moments like these. Moments of new life. They will always be precious," Orion said as he turned to step out. "Back to training, Motoyasu!"
Motoyasu went after him. "Yeah, but…will it be more of that defensive form? My defense isn't terrible, but my attack stat is my best!"
"You can return to attacking once you can flow with your spear," Orion told him. "I believe in you!"
They returned to the cave to train.
Orion mainly had Motoyasu twirl his spear, which was either for defense or cool points. "Flow. Inspire. Spears have been used to rally troops when in the hands of an inspiring warrior."
"I just feel like I'm trying to be pretty…" Motoyasu grumbled.
Buddy had a similar weapon in his magic staff, so he followed along. "It does make me feel elegant!"
"If you look cool, then you'll inspire more," Orion said with a joking tone. "But in actuality…" He gestured for Motoyasu to come at him. "Let me show you."
Motoyasu thought about it for a moment before rushing at him and thrusting his spear forward.
Orion summoned his own spear and thrust it, perfectly landing his thrust on Motoyasu's.
Motoyasu slid back from the collision of the two spears, but Orion used the momentum to spin around and pressure Moroyasu with a slash from his spear tip.
Orion stopped the quick attack just before Motoyasu's neck. "See? I used the existing momentum to flow. It keeps my attacks strong and fast, and it makes me ready to defend."
Motoyasu nodded as he took it in. "You really are fast."
"I'm just practiced," Orion said as he pat Motoyasu on the shoulder. "You'll get there. Then once I am done training you and Naofumi, I can see about the other heroes."
"What…could you even teach Itsuki? One, he probably won't like you, and two, you have a crossbow and not a bow."
"A bow isn't the only weapon of an archer." Orion summoned his crossbow to his back instead of his hand. He then flicked arrows out of his sleeves. "Arrows are close range melee weapons too if used right, perfect for quick assassination."
"So…there are alternate ways of using every weapon then?" Motoyasu asked.
"Yes. They are called Subclasses. Right now, you are on the Way of the Assault Subclass, and I'm trying to teach you how to unlock the Way of the Leader Subclass," Orion explained.
Motoyasu ran that though his head. Subclasses? Emerald Online didn't have subclasses, but they are common in a lot of other games. If I unlocked a subclass, how much more powerful would I be? That could mean twice as many spears!
"That's the look the heroes of my world had when they figured it out," Orion chuckled as he watched Motoyasu think. "Right now, Naofumi is on the Way of the Defender Subclass, but he can learn the Way of the Brawler Subclass. It would make him an ideal tank, able to tank damage but deal it too in order to maintain aggro."
"Saying it like this makes it much easier to explain… Explain it to Naofumi like this when he gets back," Motoyasu suggested.
"It does? Then I will be sure to do so." Orion jumped back into his giant, metal body. "Now let me show you more footwork."
Ren had finally been given Eclair, but he had another problem that came up immediately.
She was super pretty. Ok, she was super-hot too, and Ren hadn't exactly adjusted to her like he had Wyndia.
"Ren, are you paying attention? I want to duel to test your strength!" Eclair told him as she drew her borrowed sword that Ren had gotten from a monster drop. She was still considered a criminal, so she was still wearing her prison gown that may have been a bit too small for her because she insisted on starting Ren's training before getting actual clothes.
Ren swallowed and shook his head to try to clear the view from his brain. "I'm sorry. It's been…a rough few days."
Wyndia nodded to agree with him. "His bones are almost healed, but he's had a lot to deal with. Fighting for you being one of those events he had to deal with."
Eclair nodded in understanding. "I will be gentle with him, but I need to see what he can do."
"It won't be impressive, I assure you. Everything I have is just…flailing," Ren admitted as he grabbed his sword.
"I'm sure it's not that bad. You're the Sword Hero!" Eclair tried to reassure him.
"The Heroes mostly come from worlds where most of our fighting experience comes from entertainment. We don't practice. We sit on our asses." Ren gestured at his skinny frame. "Do I look like a swordsman to you?"
"Points for honesty and trying. I can see in your eyes how you want to be stronger," Eclair said with a determined look. "I'll harden you into a true knight in no time!"
Ren smiled awkwardly. "Thanks. I'll try my best."
"Now…come at me!" Eclair got into her fighting stance.
Ren then rushed her, swinging his sword in the only way he knew how.
"Your swings are too small! You can't get much damage with those small swings!" Eclair said as she dodged.
Ren then adapted to use larger slashes. It reduced his speed, but it was more proper.
Eclair kept dodging easily. "You are indeed flailing… Much like a child… But the start of your attack combos is always solid. You know your basics very well, like you have honed them to your body. You actually have a lot of talent to have that much at your age when you claim to have been on your rear this whole time." She then blocked Ren's sword. "That's enough. I know where to start."
Ren bowed his head. "Thank you for taking time for me, Ms. Seaetto."
"For freeing me, I will train you as much as you'd like," Eclair told him as she bowed her head back. "You have good instincts. I just need to give you the right form. There is something I'd like to ask you about though." She gestured at his empty hand. "You keep moving that hand in an attempt to attack, but you immediately retract it. Why?"
Ren blushed awkwardly in pure embarrassment. "In my world…I tried using to swords a lot… I'm more used to two swords than one sword. I know it is impractical, but I thought it was cool. I can't use a second sword here anyway."
Eclair blinked before patting Ren on the back. "Dual swords is actually very practical. Don't be embarrassed. Old habits can be hard to overcome. I wouldn't give up on it. Maybe someday you will get a second sword. The Legendary Weapons are a mystery to us after all."
"Ok…" Ren just felt like an SAO fanboy now.
Eclair went ahead of him with her back facing him. "Now, follow my stance and swing." She did a powerful overhead slash, generating a breeze as she did.
Ren watched her, but his eyes ended up where they shouldn't have been. His eyes had been on her prison gown, and the skirt lifted up from the breeze she made to show…she was wearing nothing under it, leaving a spectacular view of the entire lower half of Eclair's body for any young man lucky enough to see it.
There was a moment of silence before Eclair turned back to Ren. "Are you ok-?" She then widened her eyes when she saw Ren collapsed on the ground.
Wyndia quickly went to check on Ren. "His nose is bleeding! Did he take head damage-!?"
"I don't remember hitting him!" Eclair said quickly in equal panic.
Ren looked like he was in a daze. "Being…an anime protagonist…will kill me…" He then passed out right then and there.
Neither Wyndia or Eclair knew what he had meant, so the two just stared at him blankly.
"Ren is kind of weird," Wyndia explained as she picked him up. "I'll take him to his…doctor."
Eclair nodded slowly. "He is quite the strange hero, isn't he?"
Clyde looked up when Wyndia came in with Eclair, both of them carrying Ren. "Geez… This boy keeps coming back. I'm sorry for his wallet at this rate." He went over to check on Ren. "…eh, I won't charge this time. It's a simple mental overload. He's probably stressed out." He poked certain parts of Ren's body. "And his bones seem to have just finished mending."
Clyde's workshop actually had more customers now thanks to the death of Erhard, and adding to that, Clyde's wares now had reasonable prices on them.
Clyde himself originally made this shop purely for helping heroes, but…he knew more adventurers would need help after Erhard was murdered.
"Thank you. Can he use the bed again?" Wyndia asked.
"Of course. My place always has a room for the heroes. I can't give food for free, but since I have the extra beds, heroes are always welcome." Clyde turned to Eclair. "…it's been a few renditions of the world ago, but you helped me a lot."
Eclair tilted her head curiously. "Pardon?"
"I was called Jack back then. You probably don't remember me." Clyde went to grab some things, returning back with a large case. "For you. I owe you."
Eclair opened it to find her default armor and clothes. "You found these-?"
"No. I made them. Hell-ton of work too." Clyde then narrowed his eyes at Eclair's sword. "Hang on." He went to the back again before returning with a case that had seven different locks. "Raphtalia gets the Vassal Katana this time, so this should work…" he muttered to himself as he started popping locks.
Eclair widened her eyes when she saw what was inside. "Is that-!?"
"A Vassal Weapon, yes." Clyde held out what looked like a Vassal Sword, but it was noticeably big. "This is the Vassal Claymore. I've had it for a while, and I want to make sure a true warrior has it."
"I can't afford this…" Eclair said quickly, quite humbled by the offer.
"…I can't lose this world too. I'm running out of places to go. Take it. I'd rather you have it than a Reincarnator freak." Clyde looked back at Angel.
Angel nodded with a smile.
"Ok then…" Eclair took the weapon, not bothering to ask about all the weird things Clyde said. "I will pay you back somehow and someday."
"Looking forward to it." Clyde tossed the case away. "Just…keep teaching the boy how to use the sword." He then turned to go help other customers. I can't watch another world die. I can't.
Eclair just watched him go before going to a changing room to get in her regular outfit and do away with her awful prison-wear.
Ren came out the second Eclair finished getting changed. He now had noticeable memories of what he told himself was probably one of the greatest views of his life. Still though, he wanted to never bring up what had happened again. "Eclair, are you ready to go?"
Eclair stepped out and grabbed her Vassal Claymore off her back. "Absolutely."
Ren opened his mouth to ask but decided to hold questions until his mind was in the right place. "Then let's return to training."
"Actually, Ren. Before we go." Wyndia stopped him and turned him around.
Rifana was dressed up in girly yet elegant armor, and she had a short sword sheathed at her side. "Mr. Ren-"
"Just Ren," Ren said quickly.
"Right, Ren…" Rifana swallowed loudly. "M-may I join your party-?" She pulled out her short sword. "You may train me as you wish, but I have always wanted to travel with a hero! So please take me!"
Ren jumped back in shock. "First…put your sword away in public spaces until you know how to use it, and second…" He turned to Eclair. "Can you take a second student?"
Eclair nodded confidently. "It shouldn't be a problem."
Ren turned back to Rifana. "Welcome aboard."
Rifana brightened up excitedly. "I-I won't let you down!"
In all honesty, the response to Orion was just so amazing that I wrote this all out yesterday right after chapter 9 came out. I thought I would get lit up for the obvious parody that he is, but I also made him to show that non-human species could be heroes too and that some worlds didn't even still have humans as the primary intelligent species. Orion was also put into place to train heroes who don't have obvious teachers, because Ren was the only one with an obvious mentor in the form of Eclair.
Ren's party seems to have grown to its limit. Three swordsman and one whip user. No worries though, this was intentional, and there will be no problems without a tank! Also it seems Ren got hit by the biggest fanservice since Bitch's bikini armor. I honestly almost went into full detail there due to having an alt account where all I write is smut. I wasn't sure it fit the tone, so sadly we won't be having three paragraphs of me describing Eclair's ass.
Motoyasu's swampstomper is actually a parody too. If you want to know what it looks like, look up "MTG Bogstomper". It is a reference to my favorite MTG creature card, and I had to use it somewhere!
Filo seems to have bonded closer to Raphtalia than Naofumi this time... What could go wrong with that?
Next chapter we have the growth of Filo and Akame, and maybe the race for Riyute. Things might be different in the race this time, considering both Naofumi and Motoyasu would want to protect it from Bitch's bullshit, and that's not considering how often Ren is visiting too. Could this be a race between all four heroes? Ren is the only one without a ride, so his participation is questionable. Something tells me he'd still find a way to participate just to help Naofumi out...
Also, first time I am mentioning this, but thank you all for your reviews! I don't respond to them all because I am awkward and my ADHD makes me spoil everything, but I assure you I read each and every one. You all have been amazing so far and the only reason this story is still going. Thanks again! Until next time! Ciao!
