Chapter 7 "The Duel"
Now I was in the Castle, "celebrating" the first Victory over the Waves.
"Heroes!" The trash King shouted, full of Joy. "I appreciate the Efforts of your journey! We recived little damage to last time. Even I cannot hide my suprise about it." He said it, rising the grail full of wine into the air. "Tonight we feast! Enjoy yourselves!" He said to the Nobles present here... And the Three bastard Heroes. 'Of course they would be here.' I thougth looking at them. Every single one of them and their companions drank wine, faces plastered with smile.
I observed them leaning against the wall near a window. '...Feast, Shmeast.' In that one sentence I summerized my feelings about this. 'I don't have a single lue how mush shit went down last time, but I do have about a million questions about what will happen next time.' As i thought that, i opened the interface of my Shield and opened "Help" tab and choosed "About Battles During a Wave" option. 'If a Wave happens to take place somewhere the Kinights cannot get to...' I thought reading this. After reading it thuroghly, I got my answer.
'This... Does not mean the Knight Guard could be teleported together, right?' I thought, and continued my inner monologue 'I guess those dumbass heroes never even thought to use this. I too hadn't known about it before, but I guess it wasn't really that big of a deal...' I stopped and looked around 'Just being here with this trash and bastards pisses me off. I'd go home if I weren't getting compensated for this... Shit.' I thought.
Raphtalia on the other hand, used her inner gluttony and digged right into the food.
"What's going on, Raphtalia?' I asked her, as I want to forget about those bastards.
"Ah..." She stopped eating and looked at me. A small amount of food got stuck to her lower face. "There is so much food that I've never seen before. I'm so curious of the Delicacies here."
"If you're so curious about everything, then why not just eat it all?" I said a simple solution to her problem.
"But, if I eat too much..." she said looking down. 'Oh yes. The typical woman sence of her figure."
"You work more than enough. Now eat up." I answered not minding it at all.
"L-Lord Naofumi..." She began the sentence "Do you prefer your women on the stouter side?" She asked me while blushing. 'She's got to be kidding right? Me and women? Over my cold dead body.'
"What?" I replied, my expression darkening. "I neither like nor dislike them. Getting a little fat won't hurt you in battle." I answered indiffrent.
"I-I told you, I am not fat! I've just grown up!" She immidedly replied, shlightly blushing.
"You are still a growing kid!" I said to her, and her reaction was like I had just kicked a puppy.
"Eat as much as you want. It'll save us some money, at least." I cut the converation short. She stayed silent for a second, and slightlu turned her head. After a while, she turned to approach the table with some sort of cake.
"That's right... I had forgotten that's how you were." She said, which confused me.
"Huh, what?" But I didn't get an answer. Instead she showed me a dish with a cake on it.
"Let us eat together!" She exlaimed happily and continued "I'm sure it's probably delicious!"
"N-No, right now, I'm fu-" but I was cut off by her.
"It will save us some money." There it is. 'I was defeated by my own agrument.' All I could is groan. He payed it no mind, but instead decided to try a piece of the cake.
"MMMMM!" I watched her chewing on the food for a second "This is wonderful, My Lord!"
I sighted, and decided to try the cake myself. 'Although I know how It'll taste.'
"Well? Doesn't it taste amazing?" She questioned me.
"...No, it doesn't." I answered her indiffrent to the supposed taste. She looked at me shocked, but then her expression softened.
"Ah, There he is!" I heard a yell, belonging to the fucking skirt chaser. The Spear hero. Motoyasu.
"Don't you dare move even one step from there, Naofumi!" He demanded. I immidely knew what's going on. 'The Outsider was right. She is going to be taken from me.' I even though I know what he is here for I didn't drop my unintersted face. I watched him walk up to me in silence.
"I heard about it!" He shouted while grabbing Raphtalia by her shoulder guard.
"I heard about how the girl who is with you, Raphtalia, is your Slave!" He shouted it loud and clear... 'I wouldn't be suprised if the whole castle did hear it.'
Meanwhile, all of the Nobles present here started whispering among themselves. All of this while eyeing me.
"You're bringing this up now...?" I looked at the Bastard, who had a look of pure anger, while Raphtalia had a look of pure disbelive.
"Yeah, that's right. She is my slave." I confirmed this. "So don't go touching her so freely."
"A Slave!?", "A hero has a Slave!?" I heard two comments from the Nobles.
"Why you..." Motoyasu said, and then shouted "People don't belong to anyone else! We cannot forget, that we, People from a Diffrent world, won't be forgiven for such a behaviour!" She shouted at me, but I kept my indiffrent glare at him.
"Won't be forgiven... For what?" I said and continued "That is your logic, not mine."
The Sentence stunned him. "Wha-' He then shouted "Let's have a duel! If I win you'll release her!"
"Huh?" I answered with a tired look in my eyes.
Raphtalia decided to have a say in the matter "Please, wait a moment! I'm-MGUH!" but before she coud even finish the sentence, she was gaged by one of the Knight Guards.
"Raphtalia!" I shouted, this time genuine worry in my voice. 'Wait... If the Knight gaged her, then it must mean..." My thoughts were interrupted by the same man.
"I heard all about it." Trash king said, walking up to us. With Mein behind him.'I wonder why...?' He continued "A Hero who would dare to use a slave... And of coure it would be none other that the Criminal Shield Hero. In sharp comaprison, Lord Motoyasu is a compassionate man. I will premit this duel." As he ended that obvoious death sentence I decided to protest
"Whoa, how about not deciding for me? I don't gain anything from the little duel of yours." I continued "Besides, without her, I can't fight." I looked at the struggling Raphtalia. 'She's doing that of her won choice... Why?'
"What a pity, this girl... It would appear that she suffers from her Curse if she does not stand by you. it pains me to say this, but have her retrained forthe time being." He then approched her and said "Upon Lord Motoyasu's win, we will remove that curse of yours, Posthaste. Once the court Magician attends to it, it will be simply a matter of time."
"Wait..." I tried to say something to him, but her turend a deaf ear.
"the Duel will take in the Palac Gardens!" He exclaimed for everyone to hear.
"Listen to me!" I raised my voice and yet, he didn't listen. I lowered my head.'This country can go ahead and die by the Waves of Calamity! I have to protect those that constantly kick me down!?" The Mark shined dimly at those thoughts, yet no one noticed it.
"Naofumi, you can't be thinking about turning down a duel, right?" The Bastard taunted me.
"YOU COWARD!" That statement broke the thin wall of my nerves. My eyes immidely got the familiar slight blue flame. And I glared at him with those eyes. As I did that he flinched.
"...Fine. Whatever." I anwsered "If I win you'll give her back to me, right?"
"...Yeah." He anwsered, smiling smugly."If, that is."
I could her all of those nobles making fun of me, consatly mocking me. I payed it no mind... But my hatred did.
"I'll say this one last thing." With that I suprised him "I didn't have any people whou would willingly fight alongside me, so that's why I bought a slave. From the very start, this country forbade the Slave trade and is currently cracking down on it, right?" I stopped and continued afer a second "Ican't be the only one taking advantage of this. That's just the current situation in the country. But if you're all going to keep sayng I'm in the wrong here, then FINE, I'll accept this farce of yours!" I ended by rising my voice.
"But... DON'T THINK FOR A SECOND I WILL JUST LIE DOWN AND LOSE!" And with that I went to the Arena.
I was standing in front of Motoyasu in the Castle Garden, on a makeshift Arena. The torches shined upond the sand of it. All of the guests have gathered to watch the duel. Including the Pope of the Church.
"Henceforth, the Duel between The Hero of The Spear and The Hero of the Shield will commence! A loss will occur should a competitor either be driven into a corner, or concede to a loss, Himself!" The trash King shouted.
"So, It's a matter of contradiction. Which will truimph over the other: The Sword or the Shield?" He then shrugged and added "This won't be much of a challenge, though."
"Youre in the wrong." I replied in a cold voice.
"I'll bring you to your knees for Raphtalia's sake, tout de Suite!" 'Oh yeah, and then you'll try to seduce her. You fucking Lolicon.' I thought coldly.
"YOU MAY NOW... BEGIN!" The king had shouted. And as soon as he did that, Motoyasu charged at me trying to impale me on his spear. I brought my left arm, where the Shield was located. And I blocked the charge.
"Hpmh! I suppose that's to be expected of the Shield Hero!" He shouted tauntingly.
"Contradiction, A word that means incosistency, ore something that illogical." My sentence stunned him. I continued, smilling "It's af this duel wa like that from the start. A sword, or the Spear for that matter, is a weapon meant for attacking. The Shield on the other hand, is a protective gear meant to defen oneself. Their purposes are diffeent from the start." I explained further.
"What are you trying to say!?" He demanded.
"If this really is a battle between the strongest weapon and the strongest Shield... They you lost the moment you weren't able to pirece through my shield!" I said, grinning.
"Not a single pearson will accept an outcome like that!" He shouted throwing my Shield to the Side, leaving me open 'No, I will not cast Blink now. It's only when they manage to anger me to do it.'
"TURBULENT THRUST!" He shouted, reading his weapon."How's that for you!?"
I crouched making himm miss me entirely. he looked at me confused.
"I have said this before, but I have no intention TO JUST LOSE!" as I shouted this I punched him in the abdomen. 'He definetly wasn't expecting that!' I thought.
"Ow..." He said in a hurtful matter. "Ouch! That hurts!" he looked then at a little "gift" that I left him. A ballon to be precise. I then showed the fest of the Ballons, as they were covered my my cape.
"I just replenished my supply in the Fields." I said and added "They're all nice and fresh!"
"You..." He said as he grabbed the monster and forced it away from his body "This is a one-on-one duel!"
"Yeah,so? What of it?" I answered in an indiffrent voice.
"So fight fair and square!" He shouted, throwing the distraction behind him and charged at me. I Blocked his attack while changing to Shield of the Two-headed Demon Dog and used it's effective use called Dog Bite on Motoyasu's forearm. He screamed, overwhelmed for the pain. I decided to act quickly. I casted Air Strike Shield into his abdomen yet again, while letting loose the Ballons... As they overwhelmed him, I trapped him with them using Shield Prison.
"Ow, Ow, Ow!" He shouted and demanded "Come on, knock it off!" The viewers muttered something about "It's not possible! He has only a Shield! How does he manage to hold his own!?".
'Good, if I can keep this up I won't have to use the Mark, so it'll say as a secret!' I thought that while keepingan indiffrent voice. I called out to him
"Just accept that you've lost. If you don't want to show everyone your miserable, pathethic self anymore, that is." I taunted him, and then the Shield Prison dissapeared revealing Motoyasu, still with Ballons stuck to him.
"Who's going to surrender? It does hurt a little, but-" He answered in a pained voice.
"All right then..." I answered and grabbed yet another Ballon from under my cape "Shall I have these Ballons concentrate on that face you are so proud of, and that thing down there that makes you a man?" I said giving a sick smile. "Without these two you'lll be just some creepy geek..." I ended.
"Wha-" He was scared for good.
"...You'll be toooootaly impotent!" I yelled at him tauntingly.
"STOP IIIIIT!" He pleaded.
As I was preparing to launch a finishing blow, I was struck by what I presumed was Wind Magic. As I flew away from that attack, the Agility passive power triggered, and I would land on all fours. Motoyasu noticed this oppening and slashed in half all of the Balloons and regained his momentum.
I, on the other decided that I wouldn't play around now. I clenched my fist and the time stopped. I used this opportunity to look around for the one responsible for this... And I found him. 'Mein, that bitch! I knew she would cheat!' I thought 'I am done playing nice. When I was summoned into this world, the two emotions I felt was love and compassion. After first betreyal, hatred consumed the love... And now it had also consumed compassion. There is nothing left in my soul... Aside from hatred directed at three heroes and this Kingdom. Even Raphtalia, my own slave, is probably overjoyed at the thought of breaking away from me.' I thought and decided to play by my rules. And those of a Mark.
The requirements for Curse Series have been met.
The requirements for Mark have been met.
I released the Blink and appeared someplace else, to the complete suprise of everyone present.
"What is the meaning of this!? I thought you were sent flying by the wind!" The Bastard Hero couldn't belive his eyes "I demand from you to tell me this power!"
"You can keep dreaming." I growled in response. He flinched at my sudden change in behaviour "Are you scared!? Come on, show me those skills you're sooo famous for!" I taunted him.
"Oh you...!" He grinded his teeth and charged at me, and used the Turbulent Thrust yet again. I waited for him to come closer and made a horizontal motion with my hand, a swoop from inside to outside. The Mark answered the motion and casted Windblast. Motoyasu was thrown backwards like a bag of potatoes.
'This isn't over yet! I want to humiliate him!" I allowed him to get back up.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" He screamed in a voice of true disbelif "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WEAKEST OF THE LEGENDARY HEROES!"
"The one that is weak is you... You're simply too dumb to see it." I taunted him yet again. 'Time to completly stop playing around.' and as I crouched I got a fistful of sand in my hand. Motoyasu was baited by this motion, as he thought I was surrendering.
"Oh, you finally decided to use your brain!" He shouted, overjoyed "Don't worry, I'll make this quick." He then charged at me, bringing his Spear to impale me. I blocked the attack, but instead of remaining like that, I used the Shield to shove the Spear away... And to throw sand in his eyes.
"OW OW OW!" He shouted. "That's cheating!"
"Look who says it. A cheater himself!" I answered growling and rolled backwards while making a vertical motion from down to up. The Mark immidedly recognised it and casted the power directly under Bastard's feet.
Devouring Swarm.
Black Goo appeared for a second, but then dissapeared as a group of 10-20 rats showed up in it's place. The rats immidedly lunged at the only living thing in their vicinity... Motoyasu. As one of them jumped and sunk it's teeth into his thigh he screamed.
"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" His voice was full of desperation."Those aren't Ballons! Tell me!" He now was stucked between a rock and a hard place. Either focus of regaing his sight, or focus on fending off the rats, that were becoming more and more aggresive in their attacks. The viewers didn't belived their eyes, aside from the Pope who only rubbed his chin and continued to watch.
"Only you can stop this!" I growled "One sentence and you'll be saved! ...Or do you really want them to eat your balls alive!?" I taunted him.
"I surrender! Just make it stop!" He shouted in desperation "Please!" He begged me.
"Oh... I forgot to tell you. Those rats will only dissapear when they have eaten all flesh in their vicinity... That means you." I said it to him tauntingly while giving off a sadistic smile.
"You bastard!" He called out but I ignored it and turned away. Then I felt a little sting on my neck, and as I reached I felt a dart with a syringe ended with some feathers.
'What... is... the... meaning... of this...' That was my last thought before fading out.
Raphtalia's POV
I watched as my master defeated, no, straight up humilited his opponent.'What caused him to fight like this?' I wondered but then my Lord collapsed straight into the Arena. I panicked.
"MY LORD! Is everything alright!?" Is what I wanted to say, but the gag prevented me from doing so. The onlt thing that was heard was my muffled scream.
Then a group of people appeared, forcing everyone to gasp. They were clad in what it seemed dark blue coats, but one of them had a red one instead. 'So they are known here... but how and from what?' I wondered. Then my heart sank. One of the people, the red outfitted one, picked my Lord up and left. The Others followed shortly after.
"NOOOOO!" I tried screaming my lungs out, but the gag muffled it yet again. "DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" I tried to free myself from the guard's grasp but to no awail. The king on the other hand was happy.
"You see!?" He called out to the guests "The Shield hero is a coward and has used them to escape!" He said it all while wearing a smile.
'No he didn't!' I thought 'He was just kidnapped, and you're going to let it slide!?'
"Now, let us free the his Slave from his grasp." and as he said that I was approached by a man wearing a robe with a vessel full of Holy Water. He exposed the Slave crest using his hand and poured some Holy Water on it. It hissed and dissapeared from my skin. The symbol that I had belonged to my Lord Naofumi was gone. His opponent, atfer getting a little help from the other Heroes got here.
"Now, Lord Motoyasu..." Malty started "The Slave Girl you have saved is awaiting you!" and as She ended that she joined the Spear Hero who was walking towards me.
'He must be thinking I'll jump into his arms... What a fool.' I thoght as i gor up from my croutching postion and turned to face him. He brought his hands as he expected I'd hug him, but I slapped him with my left hand, as I was using the right to cover my exposed clevelage.
"Raphtalia?!" He asked, clearly confused while rubbing his check.
"Wh-Why you demi-human Trash!" Malty yelled at me "How dare lay a hand on-" and then I cut her off.
"When Did I ever..." I yelled "Have I asked for your help!?"
"...Eh?" He was shocked by my behavoiur "But you're a Slave, aren't you? He must have abused you!" He exclaimed.
"Lord Naofumi never did anything like that!" I shouted "The Curse was only there when I couldn't fight out of fear! He gave me food, Allowed me to rest when I was tired... And when I was sick He even used up his own money and resoucres just to cure my illness... " I went silent. They were stunned at the revelation.
"And now... Thanks to YOU... I have lost him forever!" I screamed, tears flowing down my face. "Leave me alone." I demanded. " I want nothing to do with people who dishonored my Lord!"
I left the Castle as soon as I could, still crying from the events. 'I guess I'll sleep in Old Man's house just for tonight.' I thought as I made my way towards the Blacksmith's shop.
'Lord Naofumi... I have lost the one pearson that has ever looked after me. I was all alone. Again.' I thought Reaching back to the days shortly after my Parents' death.
A.N: The Chapter you've all been waiting for is here! I hope I didn't disspoint any of you.
pinkdog16 I'll keep this request in mind...