AN: Because of how much I can't stop thinking about it, here's chapter 2! This one's gonna be a tad number-heavy, so I apologize in advance for that.
Review responses
Guest 1: You'll just have to see.
Guest 2: Exactly, my man. What's the point in having all these powers if you're not gonna have fun with them?
Guest 3: Well, depends on A. who they are and B. whether they believe him.
"Speech"
Text/System
Thoughts
System Message
Cursed/Divine
Skill/Spell/Attack
Chapter 2: Fractured Fellowship
Annoyingly, but not unsurprisingly, his partial joke didn't really go over well. Motoyasu just scoffed and sat back in his chair, the chagrin from being told off keeping him from saying much more.
Sighing, Nick just reached into his pocket to feel the book he'd found earlier. Pulling it out, he examined it, discovering a small, worn leather notebook, bound by a strap. Ah, this must be the Journal from the Adventurer's Meta, he realized, opening it up.
Inside was scrawled the same numbers and stats that he'd seen before. Interestingly, he recognized it as his own handwriting.
This Journal is supposed to contain any information that I've gotten access to…I wonder if that mixes with my Lore power as well?
Even as he thought this, a few pages slipped through his fingers, coming to rest on a new one.
Every few centuries, the world is besieged by waves of monsters.
These monsters originate from mysterious labyrinthine strongholds and dungeons that appear out of nowhere.
Only the four Heroes are strong enough to consistently repel the waves.
Nick furrowed his brow as line after line faded into view. What are the Dungeons like?
Dungeons are mysterious and vast, carrying the promise of treasures and power, but treacherous to navigate.
He frowned, thinking of another Adventurer power he'd been given: the Map. Ever since he and the other three Heroes had been summoned and led through the castle, a sense of awareness had bloomed in the back of his mind. A mental image was being continuously drawn of the space around him, in full 3D.
I wonder…could I use this power to map out the Dungeons…? But what would be the use of that?
Dungeons remain after the Wave boss has been killed. The continent is littered with un-cleared Dungeons.
He gave a smile of excitement at that bit of information, only to then frown. Even if I can map things out, that won't help me if I'm not strong enough… "Hm…"
"What is it, old man?" asked Ren, though his tone of voice indicated that he didn't really care.
Brushing aside the continued use of 'old man,' Nick shrugged and admitted, "I'm just wondering how the whole 'evolution' thing is supposed to work with our weapons. If I have to train myself, that's all well and good, but I'd rather know that I'm doing things properly.
The dark-haired man shrugged. "Just check the Help menu, then."
Nick blinked. "Huh?"
"Oi, Ren, don't bother. An NPC wouldn't understand stuff like that," said Motoyasu lazily.
"I already found the status menu," snapped the Bow Hero heatedly, "I just didn't know that there was more to it! Christ…"
He pulled up the menu once more, this time noticing that there a set of tabs across the top.
Status
Trees
Inventory
Map
Help
With a grunt of acknowledgement, he tabbed over to the Help section. "Alright, let's see here…the weapon can copy other weapons of the same type, along with unlocking new forms by absorbing materials and items…hm, divided into rarities from Common to Legendary, that makes sense."
"Hold on a second," said Ren suddenly, leaning forward, "I was just looking at my Help menu, and I don't see anything about weapon copying or rarities."
"No? Well, what does it say?"
"It says that the weapon's form has a Proficiency, which you increase with use, or by feeding it objects to give proficiency points."
Now it was Motoyasu's turn to speak up. "Okay, you both are crazy, because I'm not seeing EITHER of those! Mine says that you have to refine your forms by feeding it ores dropped from monsters!"
Nick frowned, rubbing his chin. "Interesting. From the sound of it, each of our weapons has different systems. I wonder if any of us could use each other's methods, though…" He looked at the Shield Hero, who had largely remained silent, staring cluelessly at everyone else. "Hey, Naofumi, what does your Help menu tell you?"
"Ah…!" Naofumi started, but before he could check, the door opened and the guard from earlier stuck his head in.
"Begging your pardon, Sirs, but the Adventurers have been gathered."
Nodding, the four Heroes stood up and followed him. Well, I guess I can learn about it later.
They were led back to the throne room, where the King and about a dozen-odd people, carrying weapons and wearing various types of armor. These must be the adventurers, Nick thought, giving them a once-over. Not bad. Clearly professional.
"Thank you for gathering on such short notice," the King began, addressing the warriors, "Your mission will be quite simple, but challenging. Each of you must join a party with one of the four Legendary Heroes and support them in their efforts to grow stronger, so that they might face the coming Waves."
Everyone nodded, some grinning in anticipation. Already Nick could see a number of young women glancing admiringly at the handsome Motoyasu.
The looks being thrown his way, however, were much more apprehensive and unwelcome. Nick sighed. Risk, what did you make me look like? He wondered once more.
"Those of you who wish to undertake this mission, please line up behind your chosen Hero!"
"Ah, wait, they're the ones who choose…?" mumbled Naofumi.
"Seems a little biased, doesn't it?" Nick agreed quietly, while the adventurers strode towards them.
In only a few moments, the four Heroes found themselves with a line behind them. Ren had attracted four followers, while Motoyasu had five, four of whom were women.
Nick himself had managed to acquire three sturdy-looking individuals. A wiry man in leathers with a shifty look in his eye, a couple of daggers and knives at his hip, stood just behind him, and the Bow Hero had to resist the urge to check his pockets. The second fellow seemed a bit more refined, wearing what appeared to be priestly vestments, hands clasped around some sort of pendent. The third was a burly man, with a swarthy face and a thick mustache, wearing a helmet and plated armor, while carrying a broadsword and short spear. He gave them a tight smile and a nod.
Naofumi…had nobody.
"Wait a second!" protested the Shield Hero, looking around wildly, "Isn't this a little unfair?!"
There was an awkward silence, while the other three shared sheepish looks.
Even the King cleared his throat. "Ah…my apologies, but the Shield is often considered an…unreliable weapon, with a superstition of bringing misfortune."
Nick looked back at his armored knight companion. I wouldn't call that unreliable.
"Even so, it would be simply unfair for one of our four Heroes to be forced into his journey in solitude," continued the monarch, "As such, I must ask that one of you Adventurers please accompany the Shield Hero. I will increase the payment if necessary."
The Bow Hero once more looked over his three companions. The thief had a speculative look, while the cleric's face remained wise and open, but he thought he saw a disdainful twist at the corner of his mouth. Four is just barely enough for a decent party, he thought guiltily, shooting a look at the other two Heroes, One of you volunteer, will you?!
For a moment, it looked as if Ren might offer to let go of one of his party members, stepping forward and opening his mouth, but before he could, a woman with crimson hair stepped forward, a hand clasped to her chest. "I will join the Shield Hero." She gave Naofumi a patient smile, bowing with a flourish, drawing the eye to a bust outlined by an almost corset-like outfit.
"M-Myne-san?" asked Motoyasu in surprise. Then he smiled and shrugged. "Well, if that's what you want, I've no problems. Right, ladies?"
As the other girls in his party tittered and agreed, the redhead strode towards Naofumi, holding out a gloved hand. "My name is Myne. Please take care of me, Sir Naofumi."
"Y-yes!" exclaimed Naofumi, a look of relief crossing his face and shaking her hand.
Nick smiled. Good. So he won't be completely alone.
It certainly was amazing what one could overlook due to a hope for success.
TBH
Upon receiving their stipends of 600 Silver pieces each (roughly 5 Gold pieces, or 500,000 Copper), with Naofumi receiving 1000 due to his lack of supporters, the four Heroes departed the castle, crossing a bridge into the main capital proper. The other three Heroes were appropriately awed by the expansive city, and even Nick took a moment to admire the simple, but sturdy architecture.
"Good luck, you three," he told them, giving Naofumi a smile and a nod, "See you when our paths cross again, I suppose."
Motoyasu didn't hear him, already marching away with his gaggle of girls and lone man (the poor third wheel).
Ren gave him a chilly nod, before departing himself.
Naofumi blinked at him, giving a shaky smile in return, before Myne grabbed his hand and dragging him away.
Finally, Nick turned to his own party. "Alright, from the top. May I know your names?"
"Gerrick's the name!" said the thief in an oily, bowing low, "Just keep the enemies distracted and I'll take 'em out right quick. And if you need to get into a stronghold, I can get you through the door no problem!"
The priest made a gesture of sorts, holding up his pendent for Nick to see. It was an elaborate thing, with an overlapping, downward-thrust spear, an upturned sword, and a crescent that he assumed was meant to be a Bow, with a set of rather sharp-looking spikes radiating out like sun rays. "I am Father Deaurep, of the Church of the Three Heroes."
"Ah, the local religious establishment?" asked the Bow Hero, smiling politely, even as the name set off an alarm bell in his head, paralleled by a twinge in his mind that told him that his Journal had just been updated, "I'm always interested in hearing other people's views of the divine." Especially since I've seen them myself.
"It would be my honor to enlighten you on my church's teachings," demurred the man, bowing, "I'm afraid I'm not much of a direct combatant, but I am well-versed in Healing magic."
"Excellent!" proclaimed Nick, clapping him on the shoulder, "My defense is rather low, so if I take a nasty hit, I expect that I'll be relying on you to bail me out."
Then he turned to the armored warrior. "And you?"
He gave a self-assured smirk. "The name's Mald! It's an honor to be working alongside one of the four Heroes, bringing Justice across the land!"
Justice? Well, I guess in between Wave fights there'll be bandits and such to fight… "Sure!" he said lightly, giving him a nod. "Well! Now that we're all acquainted, let's go get me equipped, yeah?" Nick suggested brightly, clasping his hands behind his back, "Which of you guys knows where to get armor?"
Gerrick joined your Party
Deaurep joined your Party
Mald joined your Party
TBH
Mald led them through the streets, strutting confidently and smirking as Nick trailed behind. "Make way for the Bow Hero!" he called out boisterously
Of course, they attracted quite a few looks from the townspeople, a number of them wearing annoyed expressions.
"There's no need to be rude, Mald," Nick sighed, tapping him on the shoulder, "The road is more than wide enough for everyone to use without anyone making way."
"Nonsense! A Hero deserves better than having to constantly bump into peasants all the time."
His eyes narrowed. "I'll let myself be the judge on what I deserve, thank you very much."
The armored man shifted uneasily, before turning away and mumbling under his breath. Nick chose to ignore him.
Fortunately, he didn't do much else, finally leading the group towards a store bearing the near-universal symbol of blacksmiths; that being a hammer and anvil. The runes above the image were of an unfamiliar language, but thanks to the Language power he'd received, their meaning quickly filtered into Nick's brain: Erhardt's
"Here we are, the best armorer in town!" proclaimed Mald, gesturing at it.
"Ah…" Gerrick hung back, making Nick glance at him. "If you, er, don't mind, how about I split off and go gather some traveling supplies? Mind sparing me, oh…about 50 silver?"
Nick shrugged, handing over the money. Sure, the thief probably didn't need anywhere near that much, but 50 out of 600 wasn't going to be a huge loss. "Sure. Pick up some food, a backpack, tents and whatever else you think might be useful."
He nodded eagerly, already turning to leave. "You got it, boss!"
"Whatever you think might be useful," Nick repeated firmly, his tone making him flinch. He didn't answer, scampering off. "Right. Well, let's take a look."
He led the way inside, looking around as he entered. It was a moderately-sized place, with weapons and armor lined up and displayed all over. A number of bows caught his eye on the wall, reminding him of his weapon's copy function.
"Welcome," grunted the man behind the counter, a bald, scar-faced, brawny specimen, "Haven't seen you around. You new in town?"
Before Mald could rudely announce who he was, Nick stepped forward, smiling. "Pleasure to meet you. My name is Nick Ward, and I'm the Hero of the Bow. I presume you're Mr. Erhardt?" He held out his hand to shake.
The smith raised his eyebrows, even as he took the offered hand. "Oh, one of the new Heroes, huh? Nice to meet you as well. I'm Erhardt." He squinted at Nick. "I'll be honest, with that expression on your face, I thought you were here to make trouble." He glanced meaningfully at Mald, who was still wearing a decidedly superior expression.
"Expression?" asked the Hero, frowning, "What do you mean?"
Erhardt scratched his neck, giving him an unreadable look. "Nothing…so, how can I help you, Sir Hero?"
I really need to find myself a damn mirror… "Right. Well, I'm gonna need myself some armor. Something light and flexible, like leather, and arm-guards for archery. Also…" Nick took a glance at the wall. "Would you mind letting me take a look at those bows and crossbows?"
He frowned, looking at the Legendary Bow slung over Nick's shoulder. "What for? You've got that thing, haven'tcha?"
"Er, yes, but you see, I have the ability to copy other weapons of the same type, and I'd like to see what sort of benefits that would bring."
The smith's eyes took on a frosty glint. "So you want to steal my wares, do you?"
"No." Nick's reply was immediate and firm enough to make the man rock back slightly. "You'll still have the actual weapons to sell. You're losing nothing from this. Good god, why does everyone always assume that 'copying' is the same as 'stealing?' It's not like a damn essay or…" he cut himself off with an angry sigh, before fixing a bemused Erhardt with an irritated look. "Anyway, if it really bothers you that much…how much will the leather armor and braces cost?"
"Ah, seven silvers…"
The Bow Hero fished into his money pouch and pulled out ten silvers, slapping them down on the counter. "Here's ten more, in advance."
"Ya don't have ta-" began the smith, raising his hands in supplication, "Look, sorry, if you say that it'll leave the merch intact, then you can copy it freely. I haven't worked with a Hero before, so I wasn't sure. You can keep the silvers." Plucking out three, he tossed them back. "Armor's in the back room. Go find something your size."
TBH
It didn't take long for Nick to find a set of leather armor that fit him. As he carefully pulled it off the rack, he glanced down at his jacket and cargo pants. "Hm. This really doesn't fit the setting, does it? Good thing I learned that power…" Running a hand over his clothes, a ripple passed through them, before transforming into, of all things, a puffy yellow gambeson, while his pants became more simplified, and his shoes transformed into a pair of sturdy leather boots.
He frowned at the gambeson. Hm. Okay, so that's the local equivalent. So why is it yellow? He glanced at his bow, with its prominently displayed Topaz. This is your fault, isn't it?
Sighing at his weapon's poor sense of fashion, he quickly donned the leathers, strapping a bracer onto his inner forearms to protect them from his bowstring.
"Oh! Lookin' good, Sir Hero," said the smith lightly as he reemerged, though he raised an eyebrow at the change in wardrobe, "I'll admit, I'm not as great at leather as I am with metal, but it should serve you well. Anyway, if you still want to take a look at the bows, go right ahead."
Nodding in gratitude, Nick stepped over to the racks of bows, unslinging his own and gripping it comfortably. Wondering for a moment over how to do this, he pointed the yellow gem at a wooden shortbow.
A moment later, it began to glow, a small, elaborate magic circle of sorts flaring around it, and a ray of light shone from the gem. It swept over the other bow, scanning every inch of it, before fading away. Then, with a flash, the bow in his hand morphed into an exact copy, albeit still bearing the same yellow jewel on the handle.
Weapon Copy complete: Wooden Shortbow unlocked
Wooden Shortbow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +2 SPD
Critical Range: Mid
Type Bonus: +5 SPD
Sockets: 2 (Empty)
"It works!" he proclaimed, grinning.
"Er...yeah. Go ahead and do the rest, then…" muttered the smith uncertainly.
TBH
Iron Shortbow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +3 ATK
Critical Range: Mid
Type Bonus: +5 SPD
Sockets: 4 (Empty)
Iron Longbow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +3 ATK
Critical Range: Long
Type Bonus: +5 HIT
Sockets: 4
Wood Recurve Bow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +4 SPD
Critical Range: Mid
Type Bonus: +5 ATK
Sockets: 3
Steel Recurve Bow
Rarity: Uncommon
Ability: +40 HIT
Critical Range: Mid
Type Bonus: +50 ATK
Sockets: 5
There hadn't been all that many different bows for him to copy, but by the time Nick had finished, his eyes were wide at the numbers being presented to him. A quick check on his status confirmed that yes, his HIT stat had more than doubled from these five weapon copies.
Switching from one to another caused his stats to shift; it seemed that he would only retain the bonus of one bow at a time.
He turned to Erhardt, smiling. "Thank you very much for this. You wouldn't believe how much it's just helped me."
"No, I probably wouldn't," said the smith dryly, "Next time, try some of the other bows in the back room, or commission one yourself." He waved his hand. "Now shoo, before I have to deal with one of your fellow heroes pulling this same stunt."
"A most irreverent man," commented Deaurep as they departed, his mouth thinning in disapproval, "To take such a brusque tone with one of the Three."
Nick sighed. First Mald, and now this priest…best nip these attitudes in the bud. "Nothing wrong with a tone, Father. It's not like he tried anything disrespectful."
Mald grunted. "Did you not notice how he tried to gouge more of your money for copying his merchandise? His quality is good, but that's no excuse to try and earn more money than he has a right to."
Nick fixed him with a stern look, making him flinch. "No, I didn't. Did you, however, notice that I tried to pay him with extra coin preemptively, only to give it back and only receive payment for my leather armor? As the maker of his wares, he has a right to decide how much they should be worth. As long as they're fair, I'll not dispute them."
"A noble sentiment to be sure," said Deaurep, smiling gently, "As expected of a Hero."
"Currently only in title," sighed the Bow wielder, "Calling me a chosen Hero is all well and good, but let's hold off on what respect I 'deserve' until I've gotten deeds to my name."
This earned him a look of genuine surprise from both party members.
"…As you say, Sir Nick."
"If you insist…"
He nodded. "Good. Let's speak no more of it. We need to track down Gerrick and go find some monsters for me to practice with."
TBH
Using his Map ability to track down his wayward party member, the three men extricated the weasel-y man from a bar. Fortunately, Gerrick hadn't had time to get too drunk, and he had acquired the items that Nick had asked for.
After that, they headed out to the woods by the town's northern edge.
"There should be some big bugs around here," said Gerrick, looking around furtively "Since the Waves started, they have become a true nuisance. Probably one of the old Dungeons acting up…" He shuddered.
Nick frowned, even as he unslung his bow, transforming it into the Steel Recurve. Reaching for the quiver across his back, he pulled out an arrow, ready to nock it at a moment's notice. "What do you mean by acting up? I thought that Dungeons died down once its Wave ended."
Gerrick shuddered. "Died down? More like it goes into a slumber, sir. It'll keep spawnin' monsters no matter what, but only a little at a time. Sometimes, though, it'll start gettin' restless and put out more than usual." He swallowed. "I once tried goin' in there to try an' snag meself a bit of loot, I must confess…never again, Sir Nick! Ain't no amount of treasure gonna make me go back in there!"
That's unfortunate, thought the Hero wryly, Because that's exactly where I'm headed.
"It is the duty of the Three Heroes to subdue the waves," said Deaurep piously, giving Gerrick a disdainful look, "So Sir Nick will be entering the Dungeons as a matter of course.
"Don't you mean Four Heroes?" asked Nick.
The priest grimaced. "The fact that there are four heroes is but a side effect of summoning the Three. In order for there to be heroes who can fight, there must be one who cannot. Such a useless Hero can only be considered an expendable pawn at best."
"I disagree," said Nick firmly, still keeping an eye out for the purported insects, "If there are only three Heroes who deal damage, they run the risk of being blindsided and defeated by an overwhelming enemy. Even if the Shield cannot directly fight, defense is an essential role for any group to possess."
"You underestimate the power of the Three Heroes. It is well documented that their power will only continue to climb to meet even the greatest of perils, while the Shield can only struggle and perish."
"Really now? You will have to show me these documents, then," he replied mildly, "But in my own experiences, it is always the power that is overlooked that ends up surpassing the others."
"Feh. Probably be some sort of evil, dark means," muttered Mald.
Nick rolled his eyes, but said nothing. However, he was quite certain now that he did not like this group very much.
Suddenly, there came a rustling from a nearby bush. "Here it comes!" yelped Gerrick.
A series of black bodies, each the size of his head, came soaring out of the underbrush with a loud buzzing. Five beetles flew towards the group, their oval-shaped bodies hanging down as their over-sized wings carried them aloft. Long, sharp horns jutted up from their heads, and their flailing legs would have been comical if not for the wicked hooks at the ends.
Wasting no time, Nick nocked his arrow, took a moment to aim and let loose. Let's see if that HIT stat actually does something.
The wooden shaft skewered through the middle beetle dead on, knocking it out of the air. However, the other beetles only continued on, weaving between trees and charging towards him with angry hums, yellow eyes flashing.
Cursing, he reached for his quiver, fumbling for another arrow. I really hope that I don't have a limited supply of these. He rolled to the side as two of them speared through where he'd been standing. I REALLY don't want to find out how my DEF would stand up to that! Finally pulling out another arrow, his eyes narrowed as he realized that those two beetles then latched onto tree trunks, falling still. They have to stop and rest after an attack."
He fired, pinning first one to its tree, then the other. As he drew another arrow, he instead grabbed two. Having to take one at a time is too slow.
The last two beetles closed in with a drone, the forest light glinting off their black carapace, weaving about almost drunkenly…however, their paths were anything but erratic. His eyes and hands twitched as he nocked the first arrow along the right side of the bow and fired. Even as the beetle crashed to the ground, impaled through the mouth, he was already pulling back the other arrow, which he'd kept hold of. However, the last beetle suddenly put on a burst of speed, screeching as it blasted towards him, its horn gleaming in the sun. Caught off-guard, he leaped backwards, underneath the charge, and instead spun the arrow into a reverse grip. With a yell, he lashed out, plunging the sharpened wooden tip into its underbelly.
Sitting up as it finally went still, Nick sighed, taking a look around. Now that he was out of danger, he noticed that each of the bug corpses now had +6 EXP floating over them. "Well, that went better than expected."
"Not bad for a first fight, Bow Hero," laughed Mald, sheathing his sword, "I almost thought our Priest was gonna have to interfere!"
"That was a close call," sighed Gerrick, emerging from behind a tree, "I would've stabbed 'im if he'd got ya, Sir Hero, honest, but ya seem to've got it all under control."
Nick grunted, even as he gave the impaled beetle in his hand a grimace. Pulling it out, he saw that the point had splintered and split badly. "I hope this Bow comes with better arrows."
The Legendary Bow unlocks new Arrows with the same methods that it unlocks forms for itself.
He blinked at the sudden message. Huh. Good to know.
Remembering the bow's previous mention of absorbing materials to unlock forms, Nick hefted the beetle's corpse for a moment, before pressing it to his weapon's yellow jewel. Almost immediately it lit up with that same circle as when it had copied the other bows. The beetle rapidly broke down and disintegrated before his eyes, transforming into gold sparks and being absorbed into the bow. A moment later, it flashed, morphing into a stout, black bow made of shining plates.
Composite Carapace Bow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +14 ATK, Rank 1 Pierce
Critical Range: Close-Mid
Type Bonus: +5 SP
Sockets: 3 (Empty)
"Interesting. You'd think that a bow made out of carapace might give me decent defense or something, but nope."
"You see? Even your own weapon is telling you that defense is meaningless."
A vein pulsed in Nick's temple, but he did not rise to the bait.
TBH
There were many things that Nick had grown used to over the millennia. Fighting the same monsters for five hours was one that he sorely wished that he hadn't.
He killed beetle after beetle, venturing deeper into the woods and studying their behaviors. He loosed arrow after arrow, slowly relearning the skills he'd acquired from his past lives. Speaking of skills…
Through sufficient actions, Bow Mastery (Rank 1) has been acquired.
He'd filed that announcement away, but he did notice that his motions for nocking, firing and reloading had all become just a bit smoother. The idea of moving and firing became much less dangerous, and even the moments when he had to use the crude wooden arrows as shivs became less harrowing and heart-pounding.
All too soon, he received his first Level Up, along with an interesting tid-bit of a pop-up.
Upon Level Up, any stats or bonuses granted by your currently equipped Bow will be permanently added to your baseline stats. Only works once per Bow.
By the time he finally stopped, slipping beetle carcasses into his Inventory, he'd leveled up again, bringing him up to Level 3. Idly, he opened up the status menu to see how much he'd grown, only to choke on his own spit. "WHAT?!"
He stared, aghast, his stats practically skyrocketed before his eyes. Everything but his DEF and RES stats had jumped right into the triple digits! Even his MP had climbed up to over 1000! "Either Risk is in a good mood, or we're in serious trouble," he muttered.
Despite being initially elated by this massive increase in numbers, Nick could not help but feel a sense of foreboding. If merely going from Level 1 to 3 gave this much of a boost, he couldn't imagine what level 10 could be like. However, more worryingly, how much stronger would monsters become? He had little doubt that each Dungeon Wave would only get more and more dangerous over time.
Of course, he had no way of knowing whether or not such a growth would happen. For now, he'd have to take things one step at a time.
Considering that the sun was setting, he finally decided to head back into town and sell off some of the beetle bodies. He had no idea what uses they might have, but he figured that someone would know.
His party members were all visibly exhausted and thus relieved to find an inn.
"You're quite tenacious in exterminating bugs, aren't you?" groaned Mald, "Not that I can blame you, but did you really have to spend so long?"
"My apologies…" sighed Nick, rubbing the back of his neck, "I tend to become mono-focused when there's something that I feel needs studying. On the bright side, I now know damn near everything about the behaviors of that breed of beetle."
Gerrick coughed awkwardly. "Beggin' your pardon, Sir Hero, but you haven't encountered their leader. Monsters always have a type that's bigger and meaner than the rest, with some nasty tricks up their sleeves."
"Hm."
Making their way through the much emptier streets, the thief led them to a spacious inn. Distantly, he could feel his Journal twinge as the location was added to his mental map. Inside, it was dimly lit, with a few wooden tables off to the side and a long bar with the receptionist busy writing something in a log book.
"How much for a night?" he asked her, pulling out his money pouch.
"A silver per head, sir," she responded, her eyes spotting the jeweled bow slung around his shoulder.
Nodding, he pulled out 4 silvers and handed them over. "Separate rooms, please, if you've got them."
Receiving four keys in return, he tossed one to each of his party members, before heading upstairs to his own room.
Once inside, he sat down with a sigh. Then, glancing at his bow, he opened his Status menu again. Shaking his head in disbelief at his stats, he tabbed over to the Skill menu.
Skills may be obtained in three ways. Firstly, by performing repeated actions accurately. Second, by spending points obtained by leveling up (Current: 10). Thirdly, certain Bow forms may contain 1 or more rank(s) of a skill.
Nodding to himself, he dismissed that notice and began looking over the web. And it was indeed a web, an interconnected, sprawling mass of nodes, with a few random ones lit up. Sliding over to them with a finger and tapping them, he quickly realized that they represented all the abilities he'd gotten from Risk's CYOAs.
Mantle of Chiron
User is drawn towards people of great potential
Identify the nature of one's potential and how to shape it
Training speed and results increase by 400%
"Drawn towards people of great potential, huh?" he muttered, frowning thoughtfully.
As he rubbed his chin in thought, he remembered all the vague comments that people had made about his face all day. He stood up, walking over to a mirror on the wall…and grimaced as he beheld his face for the first time in this world. "Ugh…"
Risk had seen fit to fix his default expression as a near-permanent scowl, with a long, hooked nose and stringy, greasy hair that hung about his face. The stubble on his face only made him look more grizzled. If anyone were to look at his sunken eyes, they might mistake his usual look for something sinister. It reminded him of a certain teacher from a popular fantasy series.
"Shower and shave, definitely on the menu," he sighed, wincing at the ugly expression, "And then, something to cover this up. Christ."
Thinking for a moment, he opened up the Skill menu again, then selected another node.
Magician Class: Allows the user to learn magic.
"Hm. Let's see if I can learn some useful stuff," he muttered, scanning the dim nodes around it. Finding one, he tapped it.
Utility Magic: Allows one to learn spells of mundane utility. Cost: 1 Point.
"Deal."
As he bought the skill, something mysterious suddenly welled up inside him. Impressions of…something pressed into the corners of his mind, simultaneously making the Journal twinge.
However, he also felt a twinge of hunger from his stomach. "Might as well…"
He left his room, locking it and pocketing the key, and went downstairs. As he came down, he noticed that there seemed to be almost an air of tension among the patrons. He frowned. When someone unusual is around, even the common folk can sense it. Well, that skill did say that I could see a person's potential, so let's try it… [Mantle of Chiron.]
The room lit up with a swirl of colored auras, all rising to meet his eyes. All around him, as he descended the stairs, the villagers lit up. And for each light, he saw a path. They were mostly mediocre, ending up as a shopkeeper, a merchant, a tailor…
But then he saw a blazing beacon of green. An iron wall, hardened and tempered until it could withstand even the dangers of the heavens.
He blinked, and realized that he was looking at Iwatani Naofumi. He was sitting alone, eating a meal, seemingly unaware of the glances being thrown his way.
Nick smiled and made his way over. Stopping by the bar, he ordered some food and water for himself, and then sat across from the Shield Hero. "Small town."
Naofumi jerked in surprise, looking up at him. "Ah! Um, Nick-san, right?" He gave an uncomfortable smile.
"Yeah, that's right," agreed Nick, giving a wry smile, which faded when the other man cringed slightly. "That bad, is it?"
"Huh?"
"My face."
The Shield Hero jerked as if scolded. "That's-! I mean, well I doubt you would have had time to clean up since you came here…"
Nick snorted. "I think we both know that cleaning up will only do so much, boy." Then he shrugged. "But don't worry about it. Despite what they say, you don't need to be handsome to help others."
Naofumi gave a small laugh, tinged with bitterness. "Right. Help. How am I supposed to do that when it takes me five minutes to kill a balloon demon?"
"Killing is only a part of the equation," Nick told him seriously, "Nowhere near the largest part either. We've been asked to stop the Waves, but who knows what those Waves do to innocents? Haven't heard much, but I'm willing to bet it's nothing good."
"I mean…that's probably true. I don't…understand what you're getting at, though…"
The older man patted the bow on his shoulder. "This thing can dish out damage, but there's only one weapon that's made for keeping suffering at bay." He nodded at the buckler. "I'm betting that that's your role, besides keeping the three of us from dying."
Naofumi's eyes widened. "Um…wow. Thanks, man."
Nick smiled, and this time the other man didn't recoil. "I told you, this isn't my first time doing this. I've had companions, of course, but I've never had other Heroes as equals. Even if we can't journey together, I want to help out in any way that I can."
Naofumi nodded. "I just wish people were friendlier to me."
"Don't we all, but I assume you're being specific?"
"Er, well…I dunno, it just feels like some of the townsfolk have been giving me the cold shoulder. Does the Shield just have that bad of a reputation?"
Best to be honest. "It definitely seems like it," he agreed, "One of my party members is a priest for an establishment called the Church of the Three Heroes, which seems to be the dominant religion around here. As expected, the people are just as quick to listen to the church as they are to believe something bad."
"I…I see."
"Hey, nine times out of ten, a person will trust their personal experiences over doctrine."
"Huh?" Naofumi cocked his head.
"If you save someone, most of the time they're not going to forget that," said Nick, smiling. "Keep saving enough 'someones,' and you will one day be glad that you did."
The man nodded slowly.
Just then, Nick's food arrived, and he dug in eagerly. His first meal in this world was nothing special, but somehow that made it feel special all on its own. Taking the first bite, he could easily taste the difference between this and his most recent world. This one had a bit more salt and spices in it, probably due to lack of reliable refrigeration.
"You, er, mentioned that you have a priest in your party?" asked Naofumi.
"I do. While I do dislike speaking ill of people I've only just met…he's quite sanctimonious. To say nothing of the other two…" Nick cleared his throat and drank some water. "You?"
Naofumi rubbed the back of his head. "What, Myne? She's not bad, been pretty patient with me. She's pretty strong too; took out a balloon in one shot, when it took me five minutes just punching those things." He sighed. "At least it didn't hurt when they bit me. I guess my Defense is good for that at least."
"Hm…well, punching is all well and good, but you've got a big plate of metal strapped to your arm. Try hitting them with that; at the very least you stand a chance of stunning something, opening them up for your ally to finish them."
With a thoughtful look on his face, the Shield Hero nodded slowly, before standing up. "I think I'll head to bed. If today's any indication, I'll have to work hard to level up."
"Find someone else who can do a lot of damage for you. If my leveling up is any indication, good luck finding anything that can actually hurt."
Nick stood up, paying for his meal, before departing as well. As he climbed the stairs his Journal twinged slightly.
Returning to his room, he rooted around and found a basin full of water, which he took over to the mirror. "Okay, let's see how this is supposed to work…" He pulled out his Journal and flipped over to the section that had been added on Utility Magic. "Hm…So I have to more or less create my own incantation. Er…Converge upon me and smooth out my visage: First Shave? Is that how it- oh."
His hand became suffused with a faint blue aura. Frowning at it for a moment, he carefully pressed it to his jaw and blinked when he felt his stubble brush away like dust. "Really is convenient…Now what about my hair? Wash away the dirt and make me clean: First Wash."
The water in the bowl suddenly surge up and flowed around his head, suds miraculously appearing in it to swirl through his hair, before running down his body under his clothes. Grunting, he opened his Inventory and quickly unequipped his new leathers, causing them to vanish, followed by his outer clothes.
There're still so many things to look over, he thought to himself, giving his status menu one last look, But there's no need to rush. I can do it tomorrow.
He closed it, and turned over, listening to the sounds of the inn around him. Eventually, he fell asleep.
TBH
Nick yawned as he made his way downstairs. The bar was livelier than usual for early morning, at least by his experience.
"Sir Nick!"
He suppressed a grimace as he heard Mald calling him, and looked around to see his armored party member jogging towards him. "What is it, Mald?" he asked politely, "I was just about to have breakfast."
"There's no time for that. The four heroes are being called to have an audience with the king. It's the Shield Hero, as expected."
"As expect- what?" Nick frowned, but followed Mald out into the street, where a few guards were waiting.
"The Shield Hero is known as the Devil weapon; it was only a matter of time before he crossed a line."
"A matter of… It hasn't even been a full 24 hours yet, what the actual fuck are you talking about?!" demanded the Bow Hero, the early morning doing little to help his usual manners.
They quickly made their way through to town to the castle, with the town muttering something the whole way. As they entered the throne room, Nick was horrified to see Naofumi, now wearing a roughly-stitched shirt and surrounded at spear-point by a dozen guards. "What the hell is going on!?" he demanded.
"Nothing!" Naofumi pleaded, "I didn't do anything!"
The Bow Hero gave the King a dark look. "I'm assuming that you have an explanation for this, your majesty." Because if you don't, then I'm going to be angry.
As he said this, Ren and Motoyasu appeared. Seeing Naofumi in chains, they looked to the king. "What's going on?" Ren asked, inadvertently repeating Nick.
The king waved to the red headed girl to his right, who was crying into her hands. "Sir Iwatani Naofumi," he announced, outright sneering at the title, "You have been accused of one of the most heinous crimes of our nation: sexual assault!"
"What?!" demanded Naofumi, aghast, "By…Myne? But, why?"
"Shut up, you monster!" cried the woman, "You took my own purity!" She rushed to the Spear Hero and threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. "Sir Motoyasu!"
The Spear Hero immediately held her tight, giving Naofumi a filthy look. "Naofumi, you son of a bitch!"
"I didn't do anything!" The bound man screamed.
"Liar!" she spat at him. "I was in my room about...two hours after sundown, before he broke in suddenly! He must have been drunk, I could smell it on him while he attacked me! I only barely managed to get away, but he tore my nightgown! Sir Motoyasu was there, he saw when I came to him!"
Motoyasu clearly thinking with his other head scowled. "That's right, she looked like a frightened rabbit. I can't believe one of the Heroes would do such a thing!"
"I didn't!" Naofumi protested, looking around at the others, "Do you honestly think that I'm the kind of guy who would…?"
"We don't really know you at all," Ren pointed out coldly, "Your story of how you were summoned is rather suspicious on its own, but given that there's supposedly precedent for the Shield being disliked…"
Nick, however, frowned thoughtfully at the sobbing Myne. Then he spoke up. "I have a question."
Everyone looked at him. "Ah…y-yes?" she asked tremulously.
"You said that this was two hours after sundown, correct?"
"Yes?"
His frown deepened. "Interesting. Your majesty, are Doppelgangers a known phenomenon in this world?"
The King started at being addressed so suddenly. "Doppelgangers…? What kind of nonsense are you-?"
"My apologies, sire, but it's the only explanation that makes sense to me," said Nick, smiling self-deprecatingly. Simultaneously, he pulled his Journal from his pocket and flipped open to the page he was looking for. "Yes… Because, at the time that Miss Myne described being attacked, from 8:21 to around 9:30, I myself was having a discussion with Sir Naofumi, during which I did not witness him drinking. In fact, when I offered to buy him one, he declined, citing that he disliked alcohol."
Naofumi looked around at him, his desperate eyes wide.
"In addition, Miss Myne, pardon me if this is a social faux pas, but might I inquire as to what your level might be?"
Myne was goggling at him, clearly thrown off by his stern, neutral questioning. "I'm…a Level 5, Sir Nick."
"Interesting," murmured the Bow Hero, calling up his own status, "You see, miss, while we Heroes are unfamiliar with the exact mechanics of this world's Status magic, I myself have leveled up a few times today, and witnessed a meteoric rise in everything except my Defensive stats. If the same holds true for Sir Naofumi…well, he himself told me how strong you are." He gave her a small, patient smile, though judging by how her face reddened, some condescension may have leaked through. "So, forgive me if I seem a little obtuse, but…how could you only barely get away from a man who takes several minutes just to kill a Balloon?"
This caused some people to glance at the girl, who looked shaken, assuming it was the trauma rearing its ugly head. Nick, however, was still waiting to hear a plausible answer, but something told him it would not be forthcoming.
"Enough of this pointless interrogation!" The king ordered roughly. "The only reason you're not being executed is because you are the Shield Hero! But know this, the whole nation will be informed of your crime today, Iwatani Naofumi. You will find that no upright citizen in Melromarc will ever harbor a criminal like you!"
The chains holding Naofumi down were unlocked. He slowly stood up, looking around at the gathered Heroes and guards. Motoyasu looked thoroughly unconvinced by Nick poking holes in Myne's story, and was instead glaring at Nick now, as if appalled at his questioning. Ren, on the other hand, was frowning in thought, though he remained silent.
"Even if no citizen will not harbor him," said Nick loudly, "The fact remains that he is one of the four Heroes, and I remain unconvinced that he has done anything to disgrace that title."
The King turned his full attention to the Bow Hero. "Be careful what sort of games you play, Sir Nick," he growled lowly, "I may decide to punish you for abetting this criminal."
Nick laughed, a loud, long laugh that made everyone jump. "Games? Your majesty, you've just attempted to sabotage one of the four Heroes, who you yourself proclaimed to be the key to repelling the Dungeon Waves. Am I really the one playing games?"
"To hell with you!" Naofumi suddenly shouted at the king, "If you don't want me around, then just send me home already, or kill me!"
A shudder ran down Nick's spine at the helpless frustration in his voice.
"I would most dearly love to," sneered the old man, "But the Legendary Heroes can only be summoned all at once. If one of them were to die, then the difficulty of the Dungeons would increase exponentially, and new ones may only be summoned after the current four are dead."
Naofumi only scoffed, then turned to leave, his fists clenched.
Nick stayed for a moment, giving Aultcray a chilly stare. "I don't know what sort of vendetta you have against the Shield Hero, your majesty," he drawled, "But I do believe that it has just cost you in the long run."
"Are you threatening me?!" snarled the monarch, jumping to his feet. The guards all turned to aim their spears at him, though none of them advanced.
"Oh, no!" protested Nick, chuckling as he spread his hands, "Threats are beneath me. I'm merely stating what I've observed. You are the one who called us all here, yes, and given us the responsibility of saving your country." His smile vanished. "I'm quite sure you don't need me telling you that we're the only ones who can truly uphold that responsibility."
He turned on his heel and stalked from the hall, the look on his face making the soldiers back away.
"Let's go," he told his Party members flatly.
"I will not," said Deaurep coldly, stopping him, "Support a man who would stand with the Shield."
Mald only looked down his nose at Nick. "I likewise cannot trust a man who would come to the defense of a convicted criminal. How can such a person be a Hero of Justice?"
Nick stopped, and looked at them over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. He only asked, "And you, Gerrick?"
The Thief shook his head violently and said nothing.
"Very well. Good day."
He left without another word, ignoring the notifications of the three men leaving his Party.
TBH
AN: And there we have it! Nick could not help Naofumi avoid his fate, but at the very least, he fought for him and demonstrated trust in him, based on his own interactions with him.
In the process, he's earned the ire of Aultcray for himself, and lost his own companions.
In other news, here are Nick's stats at Level 3.
HP: 177
MP: 1518
SP: 38
ATK: 145
DEF: 3 (+12)
HIT: 298
SPD: 165
INT: 138
RES: 18
Points: 9
When I said that he runs on a Disgaea system, I goddamn meant it. However, I will be applying this type of growth (albeit to a lesser extent) to the world in general. Thus, lower levels are more common, and having to Class Up will be even more of an achievement.
The Points may be applied to Nick's attributes or used to unlock (though NOT increase) Skills, provided he meets certain requirements.
If you wish to see further updates on his status, I will continue to post these at the end of subsequent chapters.
There are many, many more systems of power that Nick possesses, which will be shown in later chapters
If you liked this chapter, or have any questions, please leave a review or send me a PM.
North South Out.