AN: And here we go with Chapter 3. I'm really on a roll with this.
Review Responses
Guest 1: True, Nick might not NEED allies like Naofumi does, but having a good-sized party can still be a benefit, judging by how Ren ended up falling behind in canon. As for Motoyasu, I agree. It'll be rather difficult to write him properly without it seeming like bashing.
Zero: …You'll see~
Guest 2: Actually, yes. The users of the Legendary Weapons are not allowed to pick up and use any other weapon. They get shocked if they try. As for the betrayal thing, yeah no, the accusation is canon. Nick helping Naofumi is me trying to make it better.
Guest 3: I did think of that, but I'm unsure of how to go about doing it.
The Thinker: As quickly as he can, though it takes at least a month for him to unlock new Stones/threads.
"Speech"
Text
Thoughts
System
Accursed/Divine
Spell/Skill/Attack
Chapter 3: Your Shield
'The Shield Hero assaulted his female companion.' (False)
Nick sighed irritably, snapping his journal shut. In a matter of hours, it seemed that the rumor had spread through practically the entire town, making it common knowledge and thus something that his Lore ability would pick up. Even without looking in the book, he caught snatches of conversation, full of scorn and condemnation.
The King had, sadly, been completely right. Thanks to Myne's accusations, Naofumi had almost instantly become Persona Non Grata in the capital, though curiously neither they nor the Journal said anything about Nick standing up for him. This would not do at all.
Sitting down on a barrel in an alleyway, Nick opened his Journal again. Come on, Lore, tell me what the people know. Give me something that'll give Naofumi a chance!
The Journal flipped to a blank page, settling for a moment, before ink began to stain the paper, his own handwriting appearing before his eyes.
The humans of Melromarc have a heavy hatred for Demi-humans.
His eyes narrowed. What are Demi-humans?
More Lore filtered in. Demi-humans are people who bear animal traits. Their maturity is tied not only to their age, but also their Level, likening them to monsters.
His already sour expression darkened further. If they're discriminated against, in this sort of society, that could mean…
The enslavement of monsters and Demi-humans is legal, but publicly frowned upon.
Nick swore. As expected. He stood up. Well, I still have mapping to do for this town.
TBH
For the next two hours, he wandered the main streets of the town, his gaze sweeping around to fill out as much of his mental map as possible and memorizing the locations of any possible stores. The people steered clear of him whenever they caught a glimpse of his stony face. This was fine for Nick at the moment, as he had nothing to say to them.
Once he'd finished surveying the streets, he searched his maps for any deep alleyways that he hadn't already mapped from a glance and headed for those. A slaver wouldn't dare put himself out in the open, where the public would scorn him, he thought.
Sure enough, the Bow Hero soon followed an alley into an area that he had not even noticed before, a cleverly hidden courtyard of sorts, hidden by taller stone buildings. A huge purple tent had been erected in this spot, taking up most of it. A short, rather rotund man in a suit stood outside the front, grinning widely. A monocle glinted in one of his beady eyes.
"Oh? So even one of the illustrious Legendary Heroes has come to me. The Bow Hero, if I'm not mistaken?"
"You're not mistaken," said Nick coolly, eyes narrowed. "You have a name, I presume?"
The portly man chuckled, doffing his hat and revealing a tuft of dark hair. "Certainly, sir Hero. I am called Beloukas, purveyor of…well, you already know what I provide, don't you? You have that look."
For once, Nick's face matched his mood as he stared at him. "Indeed. However, I would like to hear you say it."
Beloukas shrugged. "Very well. I trade in slaves. The good people of Melromarc do look down upon such a trade, but the bad ones will pay good money."
"As is always the case," agreed Nick tersely, "Tell me, how are slaves treated in this world?"
The ever-present smile shrank slightly. "A slave is property, no more, no less. They are bound to their master by a magic seal, which punishes them if they disobey."
The Bow user closed his eyes, breathing deep and nodding slowly. "I see…so a slave owner would have no reason to care about a slave's happiness." He glared at the trader. "Here's a bit of business advice: if a slave is happy and healthy, then they will likely not need such a seal. A happy slave is a loyal one."
"Hm…if you say so, sir Hero," replied the man, shrugging, "However, any future buyers might not heed such advice."
Nick grunted. "I'm not here to buy for the moment. Instead, I'm here to gauge whether or not your…wares will be a good fit for an associate of mine."
"The Shield Hero, yes?"
He gave Beloukas a gimlet eye.
The slave merchant only grinned wider. "I deal not only in the trade of slaves, but also of information, my good sir! There's not a soul who hasn't heard of the Shield Hero's plight by now."
Sighing, Nick nodded. "Now that I might just have a use for. As for your slaves…"
Glancing towards the opening of the tent, he activated the Mantle of Chiron, feeling a wave of pressure flow over him and outwards. Beloukas himself now bore the image of a chain and collar, mostly solidified.
Walking among the massive cages lined up along the insides of the tent, Nick scanned the slaves for their future potential. Most looked thoroughly beaten down and, or very weak spirited, their potentials weak and indistinct. Nick's heart ached at the sight of the demi-humans, who indeed looked just like humans but with animal features, huddled limply against the bars, trying to make themselves unnoticeable. However, he moved on; as things stood, he lacked the resources necessary to help all of these slaves.
I need someone who would be a good match for the Shield Hero, he thought. Then he paused as he saw something. An upthrust sword, covered in rust. However, as he focused on it, a green shield glowed behind it, and the rust began to peel away, revealing glowing, black and white steel. Approaching this sign and switching off his Skill, he saw a young girl slumped in a cage. Her brown hair was tangled and unkempt, and a bushy racoon tail trailed behind her. She was gaunt and skinny, clearly underfed.
"Ah…that's my cheapest one," sighed Beloukas, "Racoon demi-humans aren't very popular to begin with. They're prone to poor health, you see. This one's gone through three masters already; she hasn't long to live, since she's gotten sick, and she has frequent nightmares."
The Bow Hero said nothing, stepping back to make sure that the young girl couldn't see his face. At this point, it would only make her even more afraid of her situation. "…You said you sell information? Tell me, then, why are the upper echelons so sour on the Shield Hero? This whole business smells of something that's been building for years."
The merchant hummed. "Well, this information isn't something that's completely secret, but not many people know it. I'll tell you for 15 silvers."
Nick snorted bitterly, pulling out the money and tossing it over.
Pocketing it, Beloukas grinned widely and immediately explained, "You may have heard, of course, that you and your three fellows are not the first Heroes of the Legendary Weapons. The past Hero of the Shield is not remembered with fondness by the nobility, because he sided with and gave aid to the Demi-humans, to the point that the Shield is worshipped today in the country of Siltvelt. That's to our Northeast, several Kingdoms away."
"It wouldn't explain the outright scorn I felt from the King. Even with demi-human discrimination, that felt personal."
The trader spread his hands. "Perhaps so, Sir Hero. However, that information is worth far more than you've paid me."
Rolling his eyes, Nick turned and strode away, heading for the exit of the tent. "Well, maybe in the future I'll come asking again. In the meantime, if the Shield Hero comes by here, be sure to keep the girl for him. And deal fairly with him, won't you?"
"Keheheh…" Beloukas chortled, waddling after him. "Not to worry, my good man. In dark businesses such as these, fairness must be upheld. After all, if you cannot trust my prices, who could I sell to?"
TBH
"Balloon demons? Ah, they're over past the western wall."
Nodding in thanks, Nick walked away from the vendor he'd asked, following the main streets towards indicated wall. The guards at the gate gave him a cursory glance, but upon sighting the bow over his shoulder, they let him through without protest.
Here, the landscape spread out into a rolling landscape. Short hills dotted with trees and small brooks expanded beyond his vision. Speaking of which, as he wandered, Nick found himself picking up tiny movements in the distance. Little orange and yellow balls with snarling faces bounced around on the grass, pouncing on each other and just all around wandering just as aimlessly as him. I wonder if my HIT stat is also tied to my eyesight? he thought to himself, Would certainly make sense for increasing accuracy.
His musings were cut short when he heard a familiar voice screaming out in frustration. Jogging over, Nick came upon a pitiful sight.
Dozens of orange Balloons were pouncing on Naofumi, gnashing their teeth at him ineffectively with cartoonish scowls. However, no matter how many piled onto him, the young man barely seemed able to notice, flailing and punching as hard as he could at the ones he could reach, sending them sailing away. Judging by the looks on their faces, Nick could see that they weren't even phased by his hits. Even the ones he slammed full-on with his shield just stopped and wobbled about dazedly in place.
The Bow Hero sighed, his heart heavy as he watched, pulling out one of the plain, sharpened wooden sticks that his Bow called Normal Arrows. Inevitably, some of the tiny monsters tired of gnawing ineffectively on Naofumi, and noticed him instead, bounding over with faint growls. With their bouncing arcs, it was easy for Nick to predict their movements and sidestep them, shanking them with the arrow as they passed. With his higher ATK, they all burst, leaving behind only rubbery scraps, but no other body parts for some reason. Sadly, the EXP indicator that popped up only told him that he'd gotten nothing.
Legendary Weapons repel each other. Please endeavor to grow strong independently.
So that's how it works, thought Nick, going back to watching Naofumi.
Eventually, Naofumi grew exhausted and collapsed. Seeing the balloons scurrying away, Bow Hero walked over and sat down next to him. "Hey."
Naofumi looked up, his visage still sour. "Nick."
"Guess it was true, the Shield Hero didn't get a lot of attack stats."
The teen scoffed bitterly. "This whole thing has been a shitshow. First I get taken to another world against my will, then that bitch…that bitch…!" He slammed his fist against the ground.
"Yeah," agreed Nick quietly, "It sucks."
"Do you even know what it feels like?" he challenged angrily, "To not even be given a chance? Not one of them would listen! None of them! They can all go to hell for all I care!"
Nick just looked at him. "Yes."
"Huh?"
"I do understand," he elaborated, his voice steady, "I told you, didn't I? I've been through more worlds and lifetimes than I care to count. Do you really think I haven't been betrayed before? Sure, having it happen right from the get-go is a new experience, but I am capable of empathy. Even besides that, there's still one unavoidable fact."
Naofumi turned his head away. "What?"
"Without Heroes, innocent people will die."
The Shield Hero did not respond.
"Look, I'm not buying this rape story, not until her story stops having gaping holes in it. Not only that, but I did some digging; you shouldn't be surprised to know that the higher-ups have a deep-seated grudge against the Shield."
"Why?" asked Naofumi dully.
"It has to do with a race called Demi-humans. People with animal traits. They're not liked in this country, and the previous Shield Hero was nice to them."
The younger man's fist clenched. "How the hell is that my problem?!"
"It shouldn't be. But since you got summoned with his weapon, it's become your problem," grunted Nick, "People can be assholes, doesn't matter what world it is. What matters is how you roll with the punches. We've been given the title of Hero, but a Hero isn't what we are."
Finally Naofumi looked up at him, frowning. "Not what we…well, what is a hero then?"
"Being a Hero comes from what we do." Nick stood up, reaching down for him. "A kingdom's true power lies in its people. Right now, the people only know the rumor handed down by the king. But if you go out there and be a proper Hero, then they'll start to trust their own experience over his word."
For a moment, Naofumi lay on the ground, pondering his words. "What if they just think I'm trying to trick people?" he asked, tentatively reaching up to grab his hand and sitting up, "A guy with a reputation like mine, suddenly helping people? Who's gonna buy that?"
Nick pulled him fully to his feet. "You can't think like that; otherwise, you'll just trap yourself in a mire of paranoia and bitterness. I can't say that people won't definitely think that. If there's one thing I know from all my years, it's that people are different, no matter whether they're good or evil. You wanna know what trait most heroes have?"
"Not really," deadpanned Naofumi, "But I guess you'll tell me anyway."
Nick rolled his eyes and smacked him upside the head. "Shaddup. Anyway, a hero keeps getting back up and keeps trying, no matter what."
"Even if it doesn't look like there's any point?"
"That's when you need to do that the most," he told him seriously, "Because when you stop getting up, that's when you really lose."
Naofumi was stunned into silence. He rubbed his head, where Nick had slapped him and for the first time, the frustrated, helpless scowl on his face lessened. "...Thanks. For believing that I…that I could still be good."
"Like I said, her story had too many holes. Besides, my own experience tells me that you couldn't have done it." Nick winked at him meaningfully. "Now, for all my pretty words, the fact remains that you need someone at your side to fight for you. An unfortunate fact with the current social climate, but there it is."
The Shield Hero's face fell. "Yeah. I fought a Red balloon earlier, before all the little ones came out. I couldn't even make a dent on him. You probably could, though.
"Yeah well, that's not gonna work. Like the king said, we can't work together, or we won't grow stronger at all."
"Damn it, then where am I gonna find someone?"
Nick gave a long, deep sigh. "Oh, I have an idea."
"What is it?" asked Naofumi, snagging the proverbial lifeline.
"Normally I wouldn't tell you, but since you genuinely have no other option…"
"Just tell me already, old man!"
Nick looked him dead in the eye. "You must buy a slave."
That stopped the Shield Hero's enthusiasm dead in its tracks. "A…a slave…?"
He nodded gravely. "Yes. It turns out that the slavery of Demi-humans is legal in Melromarc. Looked down on, but totally legal."
For a long, painful moment, Naofumi remained silent, his expression contorting with disgust and self-loathing. Finally he bit out, "I really…don't have a choice, do I…?"
"Naofumi."
He looked up when Nick grabbed his attention.
"You come from a modern Earth like I did, don't you?"
"Y-yeah?"
"So you understand that slavery is an evil that must never be truly condoned."
"Of course…!"
Nick gave a tired, bitter smile. "Then any slave you get will be in good hands."
Naofumi looked away. "Quit sounding like a proud parent. You're talking about slavery."
"Hah. That's true. Anyway, I found the slave trader's tent in town just a while ago."
"Wh-why would you-?"
The look on Nick's face was the only answer he needed. So instead, he continued, "I like to think that I have a special talent for identifying a person's potential. Well, less of a talent, more of a supernatural skill, but that's beside the point. When you find the merchant, tell him to show you his cheapest slave and then buy her. It won't be easy, but this slave can be invaluable. Just treat her like a person and she'll blossom."
"She?" Naofumi flinched.
"Yes, she. People are different, remember? She's nothing like that woman. She's scared, timid, and weak. She needs someone to believe in her, just like you need someone watching your back."
"And if she decides to stab it instead?" asked Naofumi, suspicion creeping up in his eyes.
Nick flicked him on the forehead. "First of all, you're the goddamn Shield Hero. You've got a tough back. Second, she's probably about as weak as you are right now, and if you treat her kindly, you'll never have to worry about that. Thirdly, and most prudently," the Bow Hero grimaced at admitting this, "Slaves are given magic seals to prevent them from disobeying their masters in this world."
The younger man bit his lip, eyes darting about in thought, but this time with much less suspicion. "Fine. I'll…I'll give it a shot."
"That's all anyone can ask," sighed Nick. Then something occurred to him. "Ah, also, before you go…" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of gems, handing them over to Naofumi. "Here ya go."
Naofumi's eyes widened. "O-oi, what are these?!"
"Let's just say that being an Isekai veteran comes with its perks," snorted Nick, smirking, "Don't worry, I won't miss those. Absorb 'em with your shield or sell them, I don't really care."
Naofumi looked down at the gems piled in his hands, before pocketing them. "I...don't know what to say. Thank you…for believing in me."
Nick chuckled. "Anytime, Naofumi. See ya around."
TBH
"Ah, hello there…! Eh?" The shopkeeper waved from behind the counter, only for her cheery smile to fade slightly at the sight of Nick's face. "Er…how can I help you, sir?"
Nick sighed tiredly at her reaction. "Could you recommend something to cover my face? I'd like to be more approachable, but I think on my end it's a bit of a lost cause."
She blinked slowly at him, clearly trying to process his words. As he looked closer, he noticed that she had shadows under her eyes, plus she seemed a little dazed. "Ah, erm…r-right…sorry, I was up all night coming up with new designs, please excuse me…"
"It's fine," said Nick patiently, waving her off, "Do you have any scarves? Preferably one that doesn't completely clash." Function and practicality was all well and good, but the man also understood that if there was one thing that people would remember and recognize about a hero, it was his appearance.
Thus, by the time he left the store, the Bow Hero now bore a bright yellow scarf, wrapped around the lower half of his face. In addition, he had pulled his long gray hair back and tied it off with a ribbon to make a small ponytail. Looking at himself in the mirror, he nodded in satisfaction; with just his eyes visible, their narrow look was no longer inherently hostile.
As he headed back towards the inn, he opened his status menu and tabbed over to his Inventory. Along with a diagram that showed his currently-equipped state, it also bore a prominent grid full empty boxes, five of which were somehow already filled.
Arcanite (4)
Dreamer's Guard (4)
Evanescent (4)
Forgestone (4)
Verdant Seed (4)
All five of those names he recognized; back when Risk had given him the CYOAs, he had chosen them from the list of gems provided in the Socket CYOA. So the three a day counted as starting from yesterday. Counting the two of each I gave Naofumi, that still leaves me with plenty.
He quickly arrived back at the inn, tossing the receptionist another silver before heading back up to his room. Once inside, he reached into his pocket and pulled out all 20 of the gems, laying them on the room's small table. "Right, let's see, how do these things work…?"
He pulled out his Journal and opened it. "What do you have to say about all this, then?"
Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of information written down.
Socketing
Socketing is a method by which the user can strengthen objects using Magic Gems. All things contain anywhere from 1 to 6 sockets by default, depending on their complexity, size and quality.
Gems
As a Bronze Spirit Gemcrafter, you have been provided with 4 gem types (plus Forgestone), of which you will receive 3 every day. It is possible to gain more gem types in the future. Each gem carries its own unique properties, which will be used to enhance whatever they are socketed into. It is up to the Gemcrafter to determine how those properties will be expressed upon being Socketed. However, most gems contain certain abilities (Highlighted below) that may be accessed and used freely from a socketed gem.
Nick nodded to himself. This information had mostly been indicated in the CYOA already, though the latter half was something he hadn't known. He flipped to the next page, looking for the reported elaboration on his collection of gems. At the same time, he picked up the first, its violet surface glimmering and flickering with brilliant light. It was almost hard to look away from.
Arcanite: Bestows raw magical power, otherworldly wisdom and supernatural Guidance. Its power is mysterious and unpredictable.
"...Not very helpful," he sighed, shaking his head, "But I guess it will be a boon however I use it." He shifted to the next one, another violet crystal, but the light within ran gentle streamers around the circumference, tracing its lines.
Dreamer's Guard: Bestows Sleep inducement, creativity and protection of the mind. It also contains a small mental plane.
This one was much more promising. A mental plane? That's bound to have some sort of application. And mental protection is almost always a must in more dangerous areas. The third stone was a clear, pale blue, and seemed damp to the touch, almost wanting to slip through his fingers.
Evanescent: Bestows speed, clarity and 'immaterial quality.' Can also create a vapor that obscures the senses.
Nick glanced at the bow on his shoulder. "I can see how that would be useful. As for obscuring senses...what sort of senses does that extend to…?" The fourth gem was a dull, dark brown, and rubbing it caused his fingers to come away with a soot.
Forgestone: Bestows tempering, enhancing and repairing. In addition, the stone can be used to permanently enhance an object, but this can only be done once per stone.
Ironically, given the previous stone, the wording of this one left him feeling decidedly unsure on how the listed qualities might manifest, apart from 'repairing.'
But it was the final gem that truly caught his interest. Picking it up, it seemed almost porous and squishy, covered in what seemed like a thin layer of moss.
Verdant Seed: Grants stamina, healing and sustenance. Can also be used to create short-lived magical flora.
Under his scarf, a broad grin slowly spread across Nick's face. There wasn't a single one of those abilities that couldn't be useful in this world. "Now, let's try it out," he said out loud, standing up. Pulling off his new scarf, he held it out, staring intently at the bright yellow wool.
Would you like to Socket this item? Y/N
His eyebrows quirked as a system message popped up, but he only nodded, dismissing it. A moment later, there came a pulse in the air. The space above the scarf rippled and stretched, distorting into a pair of small holes along its length. Setting it down carefully, he looked at his collection of gems. "Let's see...which of these would work for a scarf?" he wondered.
He picked out a Forgestone, turning it over. "Never hurts to have self-repairing clothing," he commented. "And a clearer mind would be good too."
Holding the grittier stone in his hand for a moment, he focused on the image of the scarf repairing itself from any damage. Then, he lowered it to the floating hole and dropped it in. It slotted neatly inside with a satisfying *KTINK!* and a flash of light.
Nodding in satisfaction, he took one of the clear blue Evanescent gems next and dropped it into the other slot. *KTINK!*
Then he clapped his hands together, causing the holes in space to snap shut. The scarf began to glow, and the bright yellow woven threads began to shift slightly. They quickly smoothed out, gaining an almost metallic sheen, though a few jagged blue stripes cut through the yellow.
Nodding in satisfaction, he opened his Inventory and unequipped his armor and boots. He grimaced as they rippled for a moment, before miraculously vanishing from his body and reappearing on the table. "Right now, what should I put here? Well, if it's gonna on my body armor, let's stick some healing in there."
Focusing on his leather armor, three sockets opened in the chest, arranged in a triangle. Picking up two Verdant Seeds, he slotted them into the uppermost holes, before dropping a Forgestone into the third. Like with his scarf, self-repairing armor was a no-brainer. Upon closing the sockets, the armor flashed, gaining coppery filigree around the edges and patches of bright green moss on its surface.
For his boots, while each had two slots, he only gave each one a single Evanescent. For his right boot, he concentrated on being granted a speed boost by the gem, while the Evanescent in the left boot would grant 'immaterial quality' by dampening any sound his feet made. The boots shined, before the leather took on an iridescent, blue-white sheen, especially around the edges.
The arm-guards likewise possessed two sockets. This time he filled both, slotting an Arcanite into one on each bracer, before setting a Dreamer's Guard into one, turning it a glowing purple, and a Verdant Seed into the other, causing the violet surface to become carved with thorny vines.
"Well, that's everything my equipment can handle," he commented to himself, reequipping everything, "Now, what to do with the leftovers?"
Remembering his early off-hand comment to Naofumi, he glanced at his bow. "Hm…" Picking up the last Evanescent, he held it to the gem at the front. That same magic circle from before appeared, causing the blue gem to crumble away, the pieces dissolving into light and being sucked into the larger gem. The bow began to glow brightly, before morphing into a sleek, pale blue weapon.
New Bow unlocked: Evanescent Bow
Evanescent Recurve Bow
Rarity: Uncommon
Ability: 150% SPD, Clear Sight 1, Piercing 1, Obscuring Fog 1
Type bonus: +50 ATK
Sockets: 6
Nick grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"
Without hesitation he began feeding each of his other gems to the bow.
Arcanite Flatbow Unlocked
Dreamer's Guard Longbow Unlocked
Forgestone Compound Bow Unlocked
Verdant Seed Shortbow Unlocked
He nodded in satisfaction at the collection he'd quickly amassed. Now when he next leveled up, he wouldn't have to worry about getting bonuses from a bunch of weak bows, at least for the next few levels. Deciding to take a break, he walked out of his room and headed downstairs. The bar area was noticeably quiet and a cursory glance told me why. Naofumi had sat down at a table by the wall. He now wore a large green cloak and was hunched over, glowering around the room.
Seated next to him, still looking pale and wan, but much less lifeless than earlier, was the racoon girl. She seemed to be trying to make herself as small as possible, huddling next to the Shield Hero and shaking.
Nick made his way over, noting that nobody seemed to spare him a second glance despite his bright clothing. "You found her alright," he commented, sitting down across from Naofumi.
The man grunted sourly, not meeting his eye. Even so, the other Hero could see that there was guilt weighing him down.
Deciding that that was a fair answer, Nick glanced at the slave girl. "Did you keep her crest, then?"
Finally, Naofumi answered. "I did. I absorbed some of the ink the guy used to make it; got a Shield that makes slaves 'grow' faster, probably for strength. If she's gonna be fighting for me, then I'd better give her all the advantages I get." He glowered at Nick as if daring him to challenge the decision.
However, the Bow Hero only sighed and nodded. "I understand." Then he glanced at the girl, who was fidgeting at being talked about, and gave her a smile, though she could only see his eyes with the scarf in the way. "What's your name, girl?"
She flinched, biting her lip and glancing up at her new master. "What? You don't need my permission to answer," grunted Naofumi.
"Y-yes, sir! Um…m-my name is Raphtalia." She gave a small cough, which nonetheless shook her skinny body.
"Raphtalia," he murmured, memorizing her name. "Do you know why Naofumi has bought you?" The words tasted like ashes in his mouth.
She shrank in on herself, fingering a short sword buckled at her side. "...Yes. He's the Shield Hero, and I have to fight for him."
"That's right," sighed Naofumi, his face sagging tiredly. Then, jerkily, awkwardly, he patted her shoulder, making her flinch. "You'll have to be my sword, since I can't carry one. But, if you're scared that something's gonna hit you…just hide behind me. I'm tough enough to take some hits, at least."
Raphtalia looked up at him and for the first time, I saw a life-like glint in the little demi-human's eye. "...Yes sir."
Nick outright grinned. "Well, look at you."
"What?" asked Naofumi grumpily.
The Bow Hero just shrugged, still smiling widely. "Nothing. It's just amazing to see it from the outside; your first 'someone.'"
The dark-haired man opened his mouth to retort, but then stopped as his words registered. He looked at Raphtalia as if only just noticing her, and the look of guilt lifted just a bit from his own face. "...Maybe."
Nick chuckled, making to stand up.
"Wait, Nick."
He stopped, giving Naofumi his attention.
"Earlier, when I absorbed the balloons, my shield changed," began the Shield Hero, "But it wasn't just for them; I also unlocked a form from absorbing leaves. You said that your help menu said something about that, right? I think that you might get stuff from more than just monsters."
Nick frowned thoughtfully. "You don't say? That's good to know, actually. In return, let me tell you, my new Bows all came with different Rarities. Even going from Common to Uncommon is a big jump."
Naofumi furrowed his brow. "I don't remember seeing anything like that…but if you say that you saw something like that, then…I'll try giving you the benefit of the doubt."
"No problem. If we find out anything more, we'll let each other know the next time we meet," promised the Bow Hero, standing up, "Seeya round."
"Yeah."
TBH
"Well, that's upgrades taken care of," he muttered to himself, scratching his head, "Now to see how I do solo."
He headed North again, back to where he'd first had his battles with his former party. He figured that Gerrick's words about a boss monster might help him. Simultaneously, he activated Mantle of Chiron. If his ability to be 'drawn to others of great potential' worked along the lines of fate, perhaps he might run into someone out in the wilds.
With his mental map, it was easy for him to return to where he'd been, moving deeper into the woods. It had quieted significantly since the beetle infestation in that area had been dealt with, but there surely was more to the woods than met the eye.
He clambered over a boulder, scanning his surroundings quickly. A small stream ran to his left, but otherwise no sound save the rustling of the trees.
"Strange…I would think the animals would have returned," Nick muttered, unslinging his bow and transforming it into its Evanescent form. "Ah. Naofumi did mention that he got stuff from more than monster materials… [Mage Hand.]"
Magic swirled around his empty hand, forming into a ghostly echo of it. With a gesture, it floated up into the trees and grabbed a couple leaves, bringing them back to him. He absorbed them into his bow immediately.
Leaf Broadhead Arrow unlocked.
Leaf Broadhead Arrow
Rarity: Common
Ability: +5 ATK, 10% damage over time, Absorption Quality 1
Sockets: 1
His expression brightened. Finally he could use something besides those sharp sticks he'd started with! Looking around, he spotted several small white mushrooms growing on a nearby tree. Casting out his Mage Hand again, he plucked them up and eagerly fed them to his weapon as well.
Mushroom Arrow
Rarity: Common
Ability: Blunted Attack, Random Spore Puff 1, Plant Appraisal 1
Sockets: 1
"Blunted attack?" Frowning, he pulled out an arrow and focused on switching, causing the tip to transform into a round white mushroom cap. He tapped it experimentally and squeezed it, discovering that it was quite squishy. "Ah. Well that makes sense."
As he observed his new arrow, a twig behind him snapped. Without even thinking he vaulted into the air, flipping around and nocking the arrow.
Out of the woods charged a large, shadowy form, easily the size of a wolf, the dimming light glinting off a hard, dark carapace. A pair of mandibles, curved and wickedly barbed, extended from the front, clicking and ringing out like steel. Its six legs were massive, covered in prickly armor, each jerky step it took shaking the ground, the clawed tips piercing the ground
His Journal pulsed as a new entry was added. Somehow, he knew that this was the beetles' boss.
He loosed the mushroom arrow, sending it streaking towards the insect's head…only to bounce off with a *poff*. A tiny cloud of spores lingered, but something told Nick that it would do little. Even so, the massive beetle bunched up a little, as if anticipating something more harmful. Using its momentary hesitation, he pulled out a handful of his broadhead arrows and began firing. To his displeasure, they too bounced off its shell, the tips only lightly scratching the surface.
Groaning in dismay, he realized that he could see a small message in the bottom left corner of his vision. Beginning battle: Herculean Stag Beetle, Lv. 7. "Damnit, a difference of four levels makes it that difficult?!" he growled. "And here I am all alone, this is gonna suck!"
Just then, the beetle charged at him without any windup, its multi-jointed legs pumping with the twitchiness associated with an insect. Nick leaped upwards, only barely avoiding its pincers as they scythed shut around where he'd been.
"If I know anything about my defense, I better stay back," he grunted, landing heavily on its back. However, he was forced to jump away again when its shell sprang open, revealing a massive pair of transparent wings. "Of course it flies…but maybe it's weaker underneath!" He fired off another arrow, aiming for the iridescently-shining body underneath.
Its wings blurred, kicking up a gust of wind and dust that made him flinch. In that moment, the beetle vanished, the dust hiding its movement.
"Fuck!" Nick cursed trying to clear the dust from his eyes. He stumbled back, relying on his mental map, and jumped up, hoping to take refuge on one of the branches. However, as he reached out…his hand grasped nothing. I misjudged!
Then a tremendous weight SMASHED into his chest, driving the breath from his lungs as he was slammed back into the very tree he'd tried to take refuge in. As he was pushed back, the beetle snapped at him with its large pincers. Fortunately, the tree trunk behind him seemed to be tough enough to stop its bite, but the Bow Hero nevertheless bit back a yell as the edges bit deeply into his sides. Blood soaked his hands as he grasped them, trying to prize them apart, panting and gasping as pain flared up in his torso. In the corner of his vision, a red bar flashed in warning. "Am I seriously…supposed to die on my second day?!" he gasped.
The beetle's wings buzzed like a saw, getting ready to drive itself even further towards the heavily, its mandibles gnashing and dripping with saliva.
"I DON'T GODDAMN THINK SO!"
Shoving the pincers back just a bit and cursing as they bit into his palms, Nick seized an arrow from his quiver and yanked it out. Falling forward, he slammed the arrowhead into the edge of one of its huge compound eyes.
It bucked and writhed, releasing the tree and leaping back with its twitchy, powerful legs, lurching back and forth in the air drunkenly and filling the air with a furious clattering and whirring.
Nick stood up, raising his bow and pulling out more arrows, only for his knees to buckle. Now what…? he looked down at himself, only to see two huge gashes along his sides Oh damn…oh, that's a lot of blood…
In the corner of his eye, he could faintly see a notification that his HP was slowly being restored, but only in tiny amounts. He fell to his knees, his legs refusing to respond and his vision blurring, but even so, he gritted his teeth and tried pulling back an arrow. "C'mon then!" he barked, "If I'm supposed to be a better fighter than the Shield, then why don't you come on over here and get the glory of killing me!?"
The beetle righted itself, glaring angrily at him as ichor streamed from one of its eyes. It surged forward, as if heeding his wish.
Suddenly, there came a howling cry, making him jolt in surprise and more than a little terror. Had a rival monster decided to join the party?
Something huge and dark flew over his head and SLAMMED down on the beetle, knocking it to the floor. As Nick watched, keeping an eye on his slowly recovering HP, the strength started returning to his legs. He staggered upright, pulling his arrow more tightly as he gazed at the newcomer.
The first thing he realized was that it was humanoid, snarling as it swung a hefty axe at the monster and slamming it from side to side, a large shield buckled to the left arm. The second, listening to its voice, was that she was a female. She wore dark gray and brown furs under a thick set of hide armor, more sturdy than his own leathers as the pincers scrabbled uselessly at her, and her skin was dark and dusky. Her dark hair fell down to mid-back, slightly tangled and matted, and a pair of triangular ears protruded from the top of her head, and a two foot fluffy tail sprouted from the base of her spine, through a hole in her long, furry skirt. Most importantly, she was massive, towering over him, and even had he been standing, she would've still had a foot over him!
A demi-human? he thought, activating the Mantle. As the image of her potential came into view, his eyes widened. Where the wolf-girl had stood, there was now a massive tree, easily the size of a redwood, if not even larger, with bark like steel. …'Cross paths with those with great potential' indeed! However, as he watched her fight, finally staggering upright, he realized that while her battle-axe was biting deep into the beetle's carapace with clean-sounding crunches, the monster was still going strong. I need to help in some way. This was my fight to start with, after all!
Quickly, he opened his menu, tabbing over to skills. Under Bowmanship, he caught sight of a skill available for purchase and bought it without a second thought.
Pulling back the arrow once more, he began focusing. The gem in the center of his bow began to glow, the rim around it spinning as light began to build, focusing on the arrow. His SP began to drain steadily, dropping from 33 to 23.
As this happened, the wolf girl grabbed the pincers drove them into the ground, the momentum driving its thorax into the air. As it flailed helplessly, its wings popped open on their own, exposing the soft underbelly. Taking aim at the newly vulnerable spot, Nick fired. "Charge Shot!"
The arrow blasted from his bow with a flash and a streak of yellow light, piercing straight through the beetle's body. It thrashed and writhed some more, trying to escape the woman's grasp, but she stamped hard on its head, driving it even deeper into the ground. "Still not dead," he muttered, drawing two more arrows and nocking them at the same time. He focused once more and drained even more SP, dropping down to only 3, along with drawing on another technique of his Bowmanship skill. "Charge Shot! Twin Arrow!"
Two more bolts of light lanced out, the sharp arrowheads tearing through even more of its flesh and burying themselves in the ground underneath. This time, the huge beetle stopped moving, twitching and shuddering as its thorny legs curled up, and was still.
You have gained 2 levels!
Nick sighed, checking his stats to see that they'd once again shot up, especially his speed. In addition, his list of bows now bore a star next to the Evanescent Bow, meaning that its bonus had now been added permanently to his stats.
"Are you okay?!"
He blinked, looking up as the woman came rushing over. As expected, she was at least a foot taller than him, forcing him to look up to see her face. Her brow was furrowed, brown eyes wide with concern.
"Yeah…I got a bit in over my head, so that beetle had me on the ropes," Nick coughed, "Thank you. I'll be fine in a few minutes."
She beamed down at him, a wide and sunny expression that seemed completely at odds with the ferocious snarl she'd worn earlier. "I thought I was never gonna run into another person! I've been traveling for days!"
His eyebrows lifted. "There's…a city just a few hours back that way," he said slowly, pointing, "But you took a walk through the forest? There's gotta be tons of monsters between here and wherever you came from! Ah, er, what's your name, by the way?"
"I'm Marcia!" she said cheerily, "And yeah, I had to sneak by a lot of monsters, but I'm tough, so I got to kill a bunch of weak ones!"
Something about the way she spoke nagged at him. "...how old are you?" asked Nick, frowning.
"Level 5!" chirped Marcia, puffing up proudly, "I just got it by killing that big bug!"
He stared, dumbstruck, recalling what the Journal had talked about demihumans maturing according to their levels. If Raphtalia had been around 6 or 7 at Level 1, then Marcia would have to be… no, wait, I have no way to tell how fast they grow. I need more points of data. "Well," he said lightly, "I suppose that makes us the same. I just became a level 5 myself."
The dark-skinned young lady gasped. "No way! You're the same level as me, but you look so old!"
Nick's eyebrow twitched.
"Ah, but I guess humans age differently after all…turning Level 5 when you're so old, though? Are you okay, mister?"
A vein pulsed in his temple. "And what about you, venturing out in the wilderness at a low level?" he asked gruffly, "Don't tell me you came out here on your own?
The wolf girl pouted, looking away. "Nn…growing up, my mama always told me stories about the Shield Hero! How he always gave aid to the demi-humans during and after the waves, even though he was human. And since I'm so big an' strong!" she drew herself up, hands on her hips proudly, "I decided, I wanted to be like him! I wanted to go out and help the humans who're too weak to fight! So I saved up money, bought some armor and this shield, and took my papa's axe to go fighting!"
Nick's expression softened. "I see…your heart is definitely in the right place, Marcia."
"Thanks! The old ladies in the villages I passed through said the same thing!"
"Do you have any idea where to go, though?"
She nodded, holding a finger and opening her mouth excitedly…only to freeze. "U-uh…um…" her brow furrowed as she looked around, "W-w-well, uh…"
Nick watched her patiently as she fidgeted like a guilty puppy.
Finally, she drooped. "No…"
He snorted, reaching up to pat her on the arm. "Why don't you party up with me? If you're as tough as you say, I'll need someone who can protect me. We'll be able to grow stronger together."
Her eyes lit up earnestly. "Really?! It's okay for a girl like me to protect you?!"
"Of course. My defense is no good, but if someone like you is watching my back, then-"
Her arms scooped him up, crushing him hard against a solid torso and squeezing, making his eyes bulge as he realized that, young or not, this girl was strong! "Yes! I'll go with you, mister! I'll make sure that you don't get hurt at all! I, um…I swear it on my shield! Yes! I'll become your shield!"
Nick groaned, breathing shallowly. "Thanks…a bunch…! Can you let go for a bit, though?"
"Ah." She dropped him, looking contrite. "Sorry. My big brother hates when I hug too strong…"
"Don't worry about it…ah, yes, introductions. My name is Nick Ward, Hero of the Bow."
She cocked her head, frowning. "Of the Bow…? Wow…back home, they only ever talk about the Hero of the Shield! So there are other heroes too?"
The man blinked at her. It was hard to tell whether her ignorance was adorable, or frustrating. "Yes…in fact, there are four in total."
"Wow! Four heroes?!" she gasped, eyes shining in awe.
Nick sighed. "Oh dear…I think you have just as much to learn as I do. Well, it is what it is." He pulled out his hunting knife, walking towards the corpse of the Herculean Stag Beetle. "I'm going to strip this monster for parts, then we can go back to town."
"Okay, mister- ah, you're a hero. Sir Nick!"
"You can just call me Nick," he assured her, giving her a wry smile under his scarf.
She gave a grin. "Calling you Sir makes me feel like a soldier! Heheheh~"
He snorted. "As you wish, then."
Marcia Niado has joined your party.
Twin-pronged Pincer Arrow unlocked.
Beetle-wing Fletched Arrow unlocked.
TBH
AN: And there we have it! The consequences of Nick's actions are small for now, but already, they are being felt.
The gem-socketing system is something that will pop up quite frequently in this story as a powerup method. There are many more facets to it (pun not intended) that Nick has yet to explore.
Nick's current status:
Level: 5
Equipment:
Armor of Restoration (+56 HP, +20 HP restored per minute, +24 DEF)
Speedy, Sneaky Boots (+ 10 SPD, Stealth 1)
Clear-headed Scarf
Magic Bracers of Vines (+82 MP, Plant Creation, Mental Resistance up (small))
*Evanescent Recurve Bow (+150% SPD, Clear Sight 1, Pierce 1, Fog Cloud)
HP: 531 (+56)
MP: 4554 (+82)
SP: 50
ATK: 600
DEF: 5 (+24)
HIT: 864
SPD: 1003
INT: 244
RES: 32
Points: 16
I already knew what Marcia would look like from the get-go, but it took me quite a bit to figure out what her personality would be like. In essence, she's like what Raphtalia might be like if she never lost her childish innocence and had the natural strength to back it up.
Marcia Niado
Level: 5
Race: Demi-human (Dire Wolf)
Class: None
Subclass: None
Equipment:
Hide Armor (+50 DEF)
Old Woodsman's Axe (+25 ATK)
Iron Round Shield (+ 150 DEF)
HP: 363
MP: 55
ATK: 240 (+25)
DEF: 504 (+200)
HIT: 192
SPD: 39
INT: 50
RES: 327
This is what the stat growth looks like on a normal human/demi-human, without the bullshit of a Legendary Weapon. Even so, as you can see, Marcia is much less squishier than Nick. Her stats are based on the Armor Knight class from Disgaea 5.
Anyway, that's a lot of numbers for you to digest, so I'm just gonna leave it here for now. I don't know when I'll work on the next chapter, but hopefully it won't be TOO long…yeah. Right.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave a review or send me a PM, as long as it's not asking me when the next chapter is.
North South Out.