AN: I know it's early, but work is getting crazy again so don't expect any chapters for awhile. I don't know what is going on but I just got a text message from my boss this morning that we need to get things done. Just hope it won't be long.

Chapter 7: Revelation

It is nighttime at the Castle of Melromarc and the party is in full swing. The king congratulates the heroes that have repelled against the Waves of Catastrophe. The Captain of the Knights is telling lies about how he saved the village. Itsuki, Ren, and Motoyatsu are enjoying themselves along with their party members. However, Arthur is just sitting at the window while drinking water while looking out the window along with enjoying the view of the stars.

Raphtalia approaches Arthur while holding a plate of food in her right hand and a cup in another. "Is there something wrong, Arthur?"

Arthur turns his attention towards Raphtalia. "Nah. Just enjoying the night sky. I rather enjoy that than surrounded by all these people."

Both of them look at the crowd and they are enjoying themselves at the party.

"I'm not much of a crowd person." Arthur says to Raphtalia, "I start to throw-up when surrounded by large crowds. Like what happened when I first arrived here."

"Oh I see." But Raphtalia looks at Arthur with a confident smile. "Don't worry." she says, "I'm pretty sure that you will get used to it. After all, you are one of the Four Cardinal Heroes."

While the two are having their conversation, some of the people lured Itsuki and Ren out of the room along with their party members, except Mald. Malty (Myne) then whispers something in Motoyatsu's right ear which causes the spell implanted in Motoyatsu to become activated. Malty then whispers more words into his ear. Once he hears something about Raphtalia's situation, he gets up and approach Arthur.

"Arthur!" Motoyatsu throws a glove at Arthur. "I challenge you to a duel!" Motoyatsu sounds serious when talking to Arthur.

"Huh?" Arthur is confused about what is going on. "What for?"

Motoyatsu then says in a more harsh tone, "Don't play dumb!" He points his spear at Raphtalia, "You have poor Raphtalia your slave!"

Arthur gets offended by such an accusation, "She is not! She's my foster sister! Ask Itsuki, we met before the wave and I introduce her to him and to his party!"

"I'm afraid he is lying" Mald says while being smug. "He purchased her from a slave trader. He admitted it!"

"But Arthur doesn't-" Raphtalia tries to explain but was gagged and tied up by the guards.

"Stop it!" Arthur screams out. But gets surrounded by guards with spears. Arthur looks around and notices that Ren and Itsuki are nowhere to be found along with their party members. 'Shit! It's a set up!'

The king speaks, "A hero, using a demi-human as his slave? It seems that you are rotten to the core. You have brought dishonor among the heroes before you and the traditions they once held! I order you to accept his challenge!" Luge looks at Raphtalia, "Poor girl. You've been placed under a curse that compels you to defend your master. Don't worry. Once Motoyatsu wins, we shall release you from that curse."

Motoyatsu points his spear at Arthur, "If I win, Raphtalia goes free."

Arthur looks at the ones that set him up with a great amount of anger in his expression, but has no choice.

Everyone is in some sort of arena where Arthur is in a dark hallway with the door in front of him and surrounded by all those weapons. Unfortunately, he cannot use any of them due to his shield preventing him from using any of them.

Gwen appears behind him looking sorrowful. "I'm...sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"It will be alright." Arthur says with a serious tone. "And you are right. I'm done playing. Done pretending something that I'm not."

The door opens with a light shining through. Arthur walks to the arena. The place is full of nobility and aristocrats from probably the entire country with brazers on the columns lighting the place. Motoyatsu is standing on the other side of the arena and is ready to fight. One part of the arena is where the king and his court are watching with Raphtalia tied up and gagged. On another part, the pope of the nations religion is sitting on a seat that looks angelic in appearance with some of this bishops with him.

The man who is acting as referee says, "This duel will take place in the presence of King Melromarc and the Pope, and it is thus legitimate and official." Then he signals for the match to begin. "BEGIN!"

Malty cheers, "Sir Motoyatsu! Best of luck!"

Motoyatsu does a pose while saying, "Tell me, Arthur, in your apocalyptic world, have you heard about the irresistible spear and the immovable shield? Be a man and admit defeat."

Ren and Itsuki along with their party managed to get out of some room where they were and made it to the arena. They look down and see the fight happening below.

"What is going on?" Itsuki asks.

"I thought so." Ren says, "They were setting him up." Ren slams his right fist on the balcony in frustration. "We should've seen this coming. That damn princess has Motoyatsu wrapped around her little finger."

"We have to help him!" Itsuki tries to spring into action, but the guards block their way.

One of the guards say, "Sorry, but no one is allowed to enter the arena while the two battle."

Arthur raises his left arm at Motoyatsu before turning his head and BANG! Something was fired from his sleeve that grazed Motoyatsu's left cheek and nearly hit Malty. Malty looks at part of her hair and notices that a piece of it has been shot off and notices the bullet hole on the wall. Malty freaks out as she falls down.

Motoyatsu looks at Arthur and manages to see a barrel of one of Arthur's guns reflecting light in his sleeve and a string in Arthur's mouth. "A GUN!"

Arthur pulls on the string with his mouth that causes his Silver Anaconda to fire. Motoyatsu tries to move and avoid all of Arthur's .44 magnum rounds.

When Motoyatsu sees his opening, he shouts, "Chaos Spear!" Motoyatsu unleashes a flurry of rapid thrusts full of blue energy that is fired at Arthur.

However, Arthur pulls the ropes of his swords and does his best to deflect all of Motoyatsu's attacks yet some managed to hit his hat off. Leaving a few holes as it falls down. Plus a few manage to strike the buttons off of his duster, revealing his bare chest with no shirt and shows that he has a four pack. Arthur left his shirt hidden in his back pack. Malty sees the opening and manipulates Motoyatsu like a puppet in order to strike down Arthur. Motoyatsu lunges himself at Arthur as he thrust his spear. Everyone gasps at Motoyatsu killing Arthur with Raphtalia looking away. However, something is off. Motoyatsu's spear didn't penetrate the skin.

"What the...?" Motoyatsu is surprised and confused on why his spear couldn't pierce Arthur's skin.

"You know," Arthur speaks, "I'm done pretending something that I'm not."

Arthur removes his brown wig to reveal his ghastly white hair much to everyone's surprise. Then Arthur removed his contact lenses from his eyes while looking down. The lenses fall into his hands to reveal that they are colored contact lenses with fake pupils and crushed them in his hands. Arthur then looks up at Motoyatsu to reveal that he has emerald green eyes and his pupils are slit, cat-like pupils that are full of fury.

"What in the world?" Itsuki says.

Ren states, "Arthur isn't human?"

Motoyatsu asks with a disturbed look on his face, "What are you?!"

"I'm a mutant." Arthur says before grinning. "A genetically enhanced human meant to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. Thanks to my mother, who was a brilliant geneticist!" He then grabs Motoyatsu's spear and tossed him aside with a great amount of strength.

Before Motoyatsu touches the ground, Arthur use |Shield Prison| to have Motoyatsu trapped in a ball of metal plate and chains. Arthur runs up to the metal ball, grabs one of the chains, and starts throwing the ball around which causes Motoyatsu to become disorientated. The audience murmur about the Shield Hero winning which is absurd. After Arthur throws the ball, the |Shield Prison| skin dissipates and shows the dazed Spear Hero trying to get up. Yet Arthur pulls out some rusty, old shurikens from his pockets and aims them at Motoyatsu. Since using shurikens are a Legendary Weapon Rule Violation, Arthur can launch them from his hands in a similar matter to firing bullets.

Motoyatsu snaps out of it and ducks down when he sees the shurikens being fired at him. Arthur then runs up to try and take on Motoyatsu while he's down, but a gust of wind blows at him that causes him to be blown away. While in the air, Arthur sees Malty casting a spell that caused him to be launch into the air.

'Of course.' he thinks to himself and not surprised. 'That bitch just have to have her way.'

Yet Arthur lands on his feet. However, Motoyatsu tries to strike him down but Arthur manages to block it. Motoyatsu then swipes the hidden guns in Arthur's sleeves which causes them to fall out once they are cut from the duster's sleeve.

Then Arthur has his shield switch to [Two-Headed Black Dog Shield] and use |Dog Bite| on Motoyatsu. Arthur says, "Fetch!"

Two heads of the black dog appear from Arthur's shield and attack Motoyatsu. Correction, they try to yank his spear.

Motoyatsu struggles against the two dog heads as he yells, "LET GO, YOU MANGY MONGRELS! LET GO! GET OFF OF ME!"

Arthur runs up as Motoyatsu is distracted. What happens next is that Arthur slides underneath and punches Motoyatsu right in the crotch before |Dog Bite| wears off. Arthur gets back up as he tries to slash Motoyatsu with one of his swords. However, Malty interferes again as she secretly singe the ropes off the grips of the katanas. Motoyatsu then punches Arthur in the gut with a gust of wind from Malty's wind spell sending Arthur flying. Arthur manages to land on his feet again. But Motoyatsu comes charging at Arthur (despite being in pain) and continues to attack Arthur.

While blocking, Arthur thinks to himself, 'I cannot let this happen! I don't want to lose my family again!' He starts to think about the people who are responsible for the predicament he is in. Those are the king, the bitchy princess, Mald, and even the pope. 'They're all must pay for this! I will kill them!'

Arthur then starts to remember something. Something from his past that he did. He starts to remember images of fires under the night sky, wooden houses being burnt with bodies of humans and mutants littered all over some sort of bandit camp, and the sound of screams fill the air with the sound of crackling, burning wood and chirping crickets.

'Kill them...' Arthur thinks to himself with a menacing voice with images of all the men, women and children he has slaughtered at the bandit camp with a memory of his family's dead bodies in some sort of meat locker. 'Kill. Kill them all. Kill them. Kill them. Kill, kill, kill, kill. Kill them all. Kill them! Kill them!' His inner voice is starting to get louder and more psychotic by the minute with every flash of his killings appear in his mind. 'Kill! Kill, kill, kill, KILL, KILL, KILL! Make them suffer! MAKE THEM ALL SUFFER! THEY WILL PAY! MAKE THEM ALL PAY! KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM AAAAALLLL!'

Yet Gwen's voice in his head started to yell, "STOOOOOOPPP!"

Then all of a sudden, time stopped.

What happens next is that Arthur appears somewhere dark with a light shining down on him.

He looks around and is confuse as he says, "Where am I?" He looks around until he sees a message that appears in front of him.

The message reads: 'D0 yOU hAt3 3v3ryThINg?'

Arthur looks down and says, "No." He clenches his fists tightly, "If I say that I do, I will admit my defeat. If I say that I hate everything, that means I hate the people that help me and actually appreciate me. Erhard. The medicine shop owner. All those people at the Village of Lute." He clenches his fists tighter so that blood drips from his fingers. Arthur also shed tears because of what he remembers. "I have lost almost everything back in my old world. My mother. My father. And my older sister. I almost lost my humanity. I don't want to lose it again." Arthur raises his head, "Here in this world, I almost regained a sister. But now, people are trying to take that away from me again. So please, how am I supposed to protect her without loosing my humanity again?! I don't want to lose my sanity all over again and become a psychotic bandit killer anymore!"

After his plea, someone or something laughs. It sounds like a woman and a man's voice laughing in unison.

Arthur looks around all frightened as he says, "Whose there?!"

"I am a god." the two voices say in perfect unison. "You're god. The only god that is listening right now."

Arthur tries to put on a brave face while saying, "Sorry, but mom told me that the only thing gods do is bring misery, death, pain and destruction to people's lives. But hey, everyone needs something to believe in."

A pair of glowing purple eyes appear behind him and move about to stay out of his view. "Says the child who brought misery, pain, death and destruction to bandits."

"Touche."

"But listen, Arthur van Buren, I would like to make a deal with you."

Arthur looks around to see where the voices are coming from. "What sort of deal? Like my soul or something?"

"Oh no, no, no. You see, I have been trapped here in this dark place for a long time because I defy a god that is causing the Waves. As for my punishment, my physical form was destroyed and only my spirit remain. As for the deal, I will grant you the power to protect those that you care about. The power to save those that you care about. In exchange, I get to inhabit your shield."

"But who are you, really?"

Before his question is to be answer, illusions of his data pods appear floating in the air.

Arthur looks around and notices the familiar objects, "My data pods?"

"Yes. These pods are the reason why I'm here. Something about these things are not magical yet I sense something great within. But in order to unlock them, you must place your Linker in your shield."

Arthur looks at his Linker, "My Linker?"

"Yes. It is the key to unlock all these pods in order to use everything that is inside them. Plus it can override the rules of your shield. Which means you can use all your weapons again." Then the pods disappear.

Arthur takes a deep breath through his nose while thinking about his situation. "Alright. Deal. But can I have your name?"

"But of course, child."

The message in front of Arthur gets shattered by the appearance of a flame that has a dark golden color. The flame gets bigger as it takes on a more human-like form yet has purple eyes and mouth along with wings made of white and black flames, razor-sharp teeth, claw-like hands; short, wavy locks; black horns, and a white halo. This for completely scares Arthur with some of the animal DNA inside him instinctively telling him to run as the figure is huge, imposing, and frightening. Scaring him right down to his core with his animal DNA keep on screaming at him to run. Arthur can barely say anything, let alone scream as he just stood there shaking like a frighten animal. Not to mention having a hard time breathing.

The figure speaks, "I am, Lord Qui Custodit Te In Libra Autem Omnes Rerum! Ruler of the Nephalem! Keeper of Balance! One of the Disciples of the Creator! But please, call me Nephalem!"

Arthur is then surrounded by dark golden flames as he screams in terror. While in the flames, something is added to Arthur's mutated DNA and turns his green DNA into the same color as the flames. While that is happening, the green orb on his shield changes to the color of grey.

Back in the real world, time resumed as Motoyatsu backing off along with Arthur.

Motoyatsu does a pose with his spear as he says, "Now, Arthur. Are you ready to admit defe-"

Motoyatsu stops as he sees Nephalem taking form, grinning at him. Something inside Motoyatsu is shaken to the core as he stands there all frighten. He says to himself, "What the hell...is that?" His hands are shaking along with his knees as he sees Nephalem.

Ren and Itsuki can see it too and are just as scared. Ren's hand couldn't stop shaking as his facial expression is that of complete terror.

Itsuki looks and Ren and asks in a terrified state, "Hey? Is that thing real?"

No one else can see it except for the heroes. The only thing that they noticed is that Arthur is surrounded by a vortex of air that is completely chilly. Almost as if it has become winter. What else is happening is that white lighting started to flash in the sky followed by sounds of thunder.

"No way." Arthur says. "I am not giving up!" Arthur forcefully rips the Linker on his left arm and puts it into his shield.

All Shield Series Unlocked

New Series Unlocked

Unidentified Series Unlocked

Weapon Violation Rule Overwritten

Motoyatsu just stands there completely terrified as he can completely see the gigantic spirit of Nephalem over Arthur as Arthur's irises flash purple from the last lightning strike while looking pissed. Plus the first opening of Black Clover starts to play from his shield.

Motoyatsu snaps out of it and points his spear at Arthur. "Lightning Spear!"

A bolt of lighting is shot out from Motoyatsu's spear and fires at Arthur. But Arthur blocks it with his shield. Yet the lighting didn't disappear. It is shot back at Motoyatsu and electrocutes him.

Motoyatsu is on his knees as he shouts, "How the hell did you-?" but then sees why.

Arthur's shield has taken on the form a black, five-leaf clover with a grey gem in the center. This was a shock to everyone watching as they have never seen such a shield. Then all of Arthur's weapons started to levitate and get absorbed into the shield. Arthur then pulls out the Demon-Slayer Sword from the grey jewel which is a bigger surprise. Motoyatsu gets back up as Arthur runs towards him.

Unique Skill Activated: Super Speed

Arthur's speed has increased to the point where he leaves after images of himself as he runs at very fast speeds. Just like Asta and his battle against Vetto, he moves around at blinding speeds as he slashes Motoyatsu. He cuts Motoyatsu's left leg, cleave off Motoyatsu's right pauldron, and keeps on cutting him.

'What the hell is going on?!' Malty thinks as she watches the battle. 'That brat is moving so fast that I can't keep up!' She smirks and raises her right arm, 'No matter. All I have to do is slow him down with-' Malty then gets struck by lighting from the sky and gets electrocuted with a black, five-leaf clover on her right hand. But she tries to cast the spell anyway yet blood started to gush out from the clover on her hand with Malty screaming in agony.

Motoyatsu is helpless as Arthur keeps cutting him and unable to help the brainwashing bitch of a princess. All he can do is try to block as many of Arthur's attacks, just barely.

Arthur stops as he takes a swing at Motoyatsu, who is about to block.

"HEY, FUCK BOY!" Arthur yells, "THIS IS WHERE YOU LOSE!"

Arthur swings down with all his might but Motoyatsu successfully blocked it but ended-up having his femurs, radius and ulnas get broken while leaving a large crater on the floor from the force of the impact. Motoyatsu screams in agony from his broken bones.

Arthur swings on his left side with his sword with only the blunt end as he says, "OH SHUT UP, YOU BIG BABY!" right into Motoyatu's face and sends Motoyatsu flying with a single swing right at Malty. Leaving a hole in the wall as Motoyatsu crashed into her and right through the wall.

Everyone in the arena are completely surprise on how Arthur manages to overcome the Spear Hero. They have no idea on how he did it, but he did it.

The referee says, "The match is over! The winner is, Arthur van Buren! The Shield Hero!"

The king clutches onto the arms of his chair as he thinks angrily, 'HOW!? HOW DID THE DEVIL OF THE SHIELD DEFEAT THE SPEAR HERO?! HE MUST HAVE CHEATED!'

One of the mages that serve the king says, "Your majesty? The demi-human doesn't have a slave crest. I've checked."

"WHAT?!" the king angrily yells at the mage.

Raphtalia, who manage to hide a knife, breaks free and runs down to Arthur. "ARTHUR!" she screamed out while running down after removing her gag. She runs down the stairs, hops over the balcony, and embraces Arthur as Arthur's sword disappears and the shield revert back to a [Small Shield].

Over where the pope is, his bishop whispers something in his ear about something important. Not sure what it is, but it cannot be good.

Arthur holds Raphtalia tight as he begins to cry. "Raphtalia." he says between sobs, "I was scared that I would lose my family again. I lost them. They are all gone." He squeezers a little tighter to make sure he never lose her again.

Both of them kneel down to the floor of the arena as Raphtalia started to mature to a beautiful, young, teenage lass.

Arthur looks at her and asks, "Is that really you, Raphtalia?" He is taken by surprise that Raphtalia has aged rapidly again.

"Yes." she nods. "It's still me. True, my mind is still that of a child and I cry at the drop of a hat. But I am still your sword and I will follow you to hell and back. I'm also your sister. Raphtalia van Buren."

Arthur gives Raphtalia a big hug and cries some more. Once they did, everyone in the arena left. Some of them were surprised that Arthur manages to defeat Motoyatsu. Some say that he cheated. Others say that he must have unlocked the shield's potential somehow. No matter what, the king left along with his court in a rage and tells some of his servants to pick-up Malty and have her taken to the castle's infirmary.

Itsuki and Ren are down on the arena floor and look at such a site as everyone leaves as they see both Arthur and Raphtalia still hugging each other tightly. Itsuki sniffles a little.

Ren asks Itsuki, "You alright?"

"Yeah." Itsuki replies. "Just that something like this makes me miss my folks."

"OOOOOWWW!" Motoyatsu is awake and in pain.

"And that moment is ruined." Ren says.

"UM, CAN SOMEONE TELL ME PLEASE ON WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED OR WHY AM I IN PAIN?! PLEASE?! I'M BLEEDING ALL OVER! AND...WHY AM I ON TOP OF MYNE?! HELLO?! CAN I GET SOME HELP, PLEASE?!"

Ren sighs as he walks towards the hole. "Come on. That idiot needs help."

Itsuki says while following Ren, "Although I wonder. If he lost his family, what about his older sister?"

"I don't know. Probably a ghost that only exist in his head. I would make an imaginary friend that looks like a family member too if a lot of horrible things happened to me."

"But what was that...thing? Was that a spirit of some sort? And what about that shield and sword? I remember that sword from Black Clover and his shield even took on the form of a black clover. Does his world have Black Clover, too?"

"Well ask Arthur when we get the chance. Right now, let the poor guy sleep. He earned it."

Over where Raphtalia and Arthur are at, Gwen is also there giving them a hug as Arthur falls asleep.

'Oh Arthur.' Gwen thinks to herself and smiles with her eyes close. 'Looks like you have a new life now. Here in this world, the world of The Rising of the Shield Hero. But still though.' She starts to remember the old lady that handed Arthur the book while opening her eyes. 'Who was that woman? Is that woman a mutant? Or is she something else? Either way, maybe I should tell him the truth. Just hope he remembers the anime deep in that noggin of his.'

While asleep, Arthur dreams of his past.

AN: Hey guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Wish I can do more for the fight but my time is limited. Now for some Q&A.

dovah117: No, he is not a descendant of Virgil from Devil May Cry. More about Arthur in the next chapter on his past.

JGResidentEvil: I think that is more of a 'meh'. I got something worse in mind for that fucking bitch.

OverSeer Daymond Sanctum: No, I was referring to the woman with blonde hair in Itsuki's party. I already know about Rishia, Mald and Welst. There is one character name Rojeel yet I think that character is the other guy in armor in Itsuki's party. Still don't have any info on the blonde woman. Plus Rishia has green hair.

Axe Hero: Well...you have seen Afro Samurai with the character, Ninja Ninja, right? Read about what he is and draw your own conclusion from that. But here's a hit: Tulpa.

Now for some trivia!

Qui custodit te in Libra autem omnes Rerum means "Thee Who Keeps the Balance of All Things" in Latin.

Lastly, I made a poll for some ideas I made for another story. Don't worry, you still get this story. The new one will be up when this story will be done or on hiatus (depending on when the second season of The Rising of the Shield Hero will come out). Or will be once a month. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Later!