"For a moment, he swore that the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. There was nothing off about the king's expression, but something about the way his eyes stared at him made him hesitate. Before he could speak, the king had already looked away."
Being kidnapped wasn't something Naofumi had planned for, but by the time he realized what had happened, it was already too late.
When he woke up, there were three guys sprawled next to him in various states of confusion. Surrounding them were a group of people dressed in white robes not unlike those worn by the church. They were smiling, but that quickly turned to unease when they looked at him.
He scrambled to his feet, noticing for the first time that there was something strapped to his arm. A shield? He barely had time to register this before his attention returned to the people surrounding him. Shock, anger, and fear were written on their faces. His eyes widened when one of them stepped forward, raising a sword.
"Enough!" A man shouted. "There will be no conflict here, least of all one initiated by the Church of the Three Heroes."
"But -" The guy with the sword looked like he wanted to protest, but a stern look had him step back.
Naofumi felt his heart pound inside his chest. "Who are you?"
The man who had spoken earlier gave him a sharp look. He hesitated for a moment, before lowering his head. "My apologies. We could not have known that the summoning would be successful."
"We've been summoned?"
The one who had spoken was a young boy with brown hair and gold eyes. For some reason he held a bow in his hand.
"That is correct, hero of the cardinal bow." The man said with what could have been respect. Naofumi frowned when he noticed that the other people kept their heads lowered. Their eyes refused to meet him.
"Who are you?" A boy with black hair stepped forward. There was a sword in his hand. "Where are we?"
"I am a priest of the Church of the Three Heroes." The man bowed. "As for your question, you are in the land of Melromarc. We have successfully completed an ancient ritual to summon you here."
Naofumi felt his mouth open and then close. This ... this was too much. He half expected someone would come out saying this was all some sort of prank. But the look on the man's face was dead serious.
"Is this a joke?" A guy with blonde hair asked warily. There was a spear in his hand.
"I can assure you that this is no joke." The priest said. "We, the Three Heroes Church, have summoned you here to save the world from the waves of catastrophe."
"This is all so surreal." Naofumi shook his head. He still wasn't completely sure this wasn't some kind of prank.
"Shield Hero." The priest's eyes seemed to freeze when he looked at him, causing him to tense. "It is an honor to meet the cardinal heroes."
"I'm sorry, but what's this about heroes?" The guy with the spear looked annoyed.
"You are the four cardinal heroes of legend." The priest answered. "By the holy scriptures, you are the ones who will save this world from destruction!"
The guy with the spear took a moment to process that. "What?"
"This is just like a video game ..." The boy with the bow remarked. The confusion on his face was slowly replaced with a smile. "Does that mean we'll be expected to go on some kind of quest?"
"I guess that makes sense." Naofumi said. This whole story was beginning to sound like something out of a Japanese manga. "Although, something about our situation still seems ridiculous."
"I would prefer if you do not make light of our situation." The priest frowned. "The fact that our world is in peril is no exaggeration."
"Ah ... sorry." He had probably been a bit rude with that last remark. "So does that mean we'll -"
The sound of the spear hitting the floor made everyone pause.
"So let me get this straight. We're supposed to be heroes that you summoned to save the world from some waves of calamity?"
"That is correct, spear hero."
"I have a name." The blonde frowned. "Motoyasu Kitamura."
"Of course, lord Motoyasu."
"That ... never mind." Motoyasu sighed. "So what exactly do you want from us? If this is all real then what now?"
The priest nodded. "I can understand if you are confused. With your permission, please allow me to introduce you to his majesty. He will be able to explain things further and provide rewards for your accomplishments."
"I don't really care much about these rewards, but lead the way."
"Of course."
They followed the priest and church members. Now that the conversation was over, Naofumi had time to examine his surroundings. The room they had used to summon them didn't look like a church, but its size was massive. Sunlight trickled in through windows made of stained glass. At the center of the room was a circle decorated in intricate patterns and designs. It glowed with a faint light, probably the remnants of whatever energy they had used to summon them.
Naofumi's eyes drifted to the guy with the sword trailing behind them. He looked young, around the same age as his brother. With the way his hair framed his face, it wouldn't be hard to mistake him as a girl if he had been wearing different clothes.
That wasn't what bothered Naofumi. It was the sword in his hand and the near death-grip he had on it. His face was pale and his eyes were glued to the floor.
"Are you okay?"
He blinked slowly as he took a moment to register the fact that someone was talking to him. "Yeah ..."
Naofumi frowned. The guy's hand was clutching the side of his chest. "You don't look okay."
"I'm fine." He said with a bit more force. Blue eyes met Naofumi causing him to take a step back.
"If you say so ..." Naofumi frowned. He didn't look fine, but it was probably best not to push the issue.
"My name is Naofumi Iwatani." Naofumi smiled as he extended his hand. The guy hesitated for a moment before taking it.
"Ren Amaki."
Naofumi smiled, even if Ren seemed a little uncomfortable with their exchange.
"It's a pretty weird situation isn't it?"
"Yeah ..."
"It's still taking me some time to process. I mean this entire situation sounds like something straight out of an anime."
"It's more like a video game." Ren shrugged. "But I get your point. I never expected to be summoned."
Naofumi noticed the way his hand moved to his stomach again. It was clear that something was bothering him. Naofumi wondered if there was something he could say, but it didn't look like he wanted to speak about it.
"Hey guys! Are you coming?" The boy with the bow waved at them from down the hall.
"We'll be right there!" Naofumi shouted before turning to Ren. "Will you be okay?"
"I'll be fine." Ren said as he walked past. Naofumi sighed as he followed him from behind.
It took Naofumi a moment to realize that they were probably in some kind of castle. It made sense given that they were going to see the king. What was interesting were the number of soldiers and servants they passed through the halls. He felt more than a little uncomfortable as they stared at them. For some reason, he felt that their eyes lingered on him a bit longer than they should have.
His gaze turned toward the other people who had been summoned. The boy with the bow looked eager as he examined the weapon in his hand. Ren looked uncomfortable and kept his eyes locked ahead. Motoyasu ... Naofumi wasn't so sure what to think about him. He didn't look uncomfortable with the attention, but he seemed distracted.
Sunlight shined through windows on stone walls weathered from age. Looking outside, he could see the fields of grass that stretched beyond the castle.
"It's different from what I expected." Ren said.
"What were you expecting?" Naofumi asked.
He thought for a moment. "Everything I guess. The air is a lot fresher than what I'm used to. Video games don't really capture the feeling of everything being this real."
"I was thinking the same thing." The boy with the bow nodded. "And the scenery is beautiful."
Motoyasu frowned. He didn't say anything, but Naofumi noticed the way his eyes widened when he looked outside. The view really was breathtaking. Light reflected off of rivers that shone like crystals. Further beyond the walls, he could see a city.
"Where are we?" Naofumi asked.
"Castle town. It is the capital of Melromarc." The priest replied.
"It's beautiful."
"It is." The priest hesitated. "If I might ask Shield, what exactly are your intentions in this land?"
"Shield?" Oh right, that was him. "Um ... I guess I'll be helping people. I'm not really sure what being a hero entitles and I won't be able to make a decision until I meet your king. Was there something else you wanted me to say?"
"That will be enough." The priest nodded. "Despite my misgivings, I sincerely hope that your presence in Melromarc is for the best."
Naofumi raised an eyebrow. Before he could respond, the priest had already moved ahead.
"That was strange." The boy with the bow stepped next to him.
"You could say that." Naofumi frowned. "Is it normal for everyone to be giving us this much attention?" He gestured to the people surrounding them.
"I think it's because we're all heroes. In any case, I expect it's something we'll have to get used to."
"I don't think I could get used to this." Naofumi sighed.
The boy hesitated for a moment. His eyes seemed to shimmer with curiosity.
"Where are my manners?" The boy smiled as he extended a hand. "My name is Itsuki Kawasumi."
"Naofumi Iwatani." He shook his hand. "You seem pretty comfortable with our situation."
"I guess I'm just excited." Itsuki tilted his head. It's not everyday you're summoned to a new world."
Naofumi sighed. "It's still taking me a lot of time to process."
He glanced down at his arm where the shield continued to hang. For some reason he couldn't take it off. The emerald in the center of the shield flickered slightly.
"Are you not able to take that off?"
"Nope." Naofumi tried using his hand to remove the shield. "It won't budge."
"Huh. That's strange." Itsuki lifted the bow in his hand before transferring it to his other hand. "It looks like you're the only one with that issue. If there are still problems you could always ask one of the mages."
"Do you think this world has magic?"
"How else could we have been summoned?"
Huh. Now that he thought about it, he made a good point. "I guess these weapons are magical as well."
"Probably." Itsuki shrugged. "I still can't figure out the purpose of the crystal in my bow, but it doesn't feel unnatural."
Naofumi nodded. Despite the shield being practically glued to his arm it didn't seem to weigh much. In fact, he found that he could adjust its position around his arm despite not being able to take it off.
Magical weapons aside, he found that he enjoyed talking with Itsuki. He seemed more relaxed than him at any rate.
"If this is anything like a video game we'll probably receive a quest." Itsuki said.
"A quest?" Naofumi smiled. "I guess we'll have to speak with the king first."
When they finally made it to the throne room, there was a small commotion. The soldiers stationed there looked confused to see them, nervous even. One of the guards stepped in front of their group, barring the way. After the priest presented some kind of seal, they reluctantly opened the doors.
Naofumi shared a glance with Itsuki. The boy met his gaze with concern, before turning his attention ahead.
When the doors opened, Naofumi was surprised by how large the throne room was. Banners hung on stone walls depicting some emblem of this country. At the center of the room was an old man sitting on a throne. His hair had already turned white and there were deep wrinkles in his skin. Despite this, his eyes carried a certain intensity as he watched them walk forward.
Naofumi felt more than a little uncomfortable when he noticed the church members stop behind them. That left him and the other guys to follow the priest ahead. There were guards lining the hall with various nobles behind them. Their expressions were mixed. The soldiers did a better job of hiding their reactions, but the nobles were a flurry of whispers and pointed looks.
"Your majesty, it is my honor to present to you the cardinal heroes." The priest bowed.
"I see ..." The king's face was impassive as he gave each of them a long look. Naofumi couldn't help but feel like there was something wrong when the king stared at him.
The king's attention returned to the priest. "You may leave. Thank you for bringing the cardinal heroes."
"Of course." The priest inclined his head before exiting the room with the other members of the church.
As the attention of everyone in the room fell on them, Naofumi couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"I am Aultcray Melromarc the 32nd and the king of Melromarc." The king's voice boomed across the hall silencing all conversation. "Cardinal heroes, step forward and show me your faces."
Naofumi hesitated. It felt awkward to be taking orders from a king, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to show a little respect. He froze when he noticed Motoyasu take a step forward.
"Your majesty."
Naofumi's mouth was left hanging open as Motoyasu bowed. After a moment, he quickly lowered his head. Ren and Itsuki followed him soon after.
"Interesting ..." The king looked pleased. "Would you care to introduce yourself, sir Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu hesitated for a moment, before nodding. "My name is Motoyasu Kitamura, age 21. I'm a college student."
The king nodded before turning to Ren.
"Ren Amaki, 16 years old, high school student." Ren spoke carefully. He hid it well, but Naofumi couldn't help but think that he was more than a little nervous. As he stepped back, Itsuki was already moving to take his place.
"Itsuki Kawasumi, 17 years old. I'm also a high school student." The younger boy smiled albeit a little nervously.
Finally, the king's attention turned to Naofumi. For a moment, he swore that the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. There was nothing off about the king's expression, but something about the way his eyes stared at him made him hesitate. Before he could speak, the king had already looked away.
"Sir Motoyasu, sir Ren, and sir Itsuki." The king spoke. "It is an honor to have you in my kingdom."
Naofumi frowned. The silence that had previously occupied the room was broken as the nobles conversed. One of the advisors standing next to the king whispered something in his ear.
"And the Shield." The king sighed. "What is your name?"
"Naofumi Iwatani, age 20." He hesitated. "I'm also a college student, your majesty."
The king nodded once before turning his attention back to the other heroes. As the king raised his hand, the whispers stopped.
"The reason I have gathered all of you here today is for this purpose; that I recognize the cardinal heroes. Let it be known that Melromarc supports them against the waves of catastrophe."
If the whispers were anything before, they were nothing compared to the conversations that we're happening now. Many of the nobles and even the soldiers looked both shocked and concerned. He caught more than a few pointed looks in his direction.
Naofumi shared a glance with the other guys who looked uncomfortable. Naofumi himself felt like he was on the verge of panicking.
"Silence!" The conversations came to a halt as all eyes fell on the king. "I understand that there will be questions about my decision. However, as king it has always been my duty to protect the people of Melromarc."
As the king spoke, his voice carried across the room. He didn't need to raise his voice much to grab attention. Despite the age that was weathered in his face, his eyes carried a strong intensity as he looked at them.
"While there will most certainly be words from our neighbors, we cannot afford to wait while they bicker about who decides to summon which cardinal hero. By my order as king, I have summoned all cardinal heroes for the good of Melromarc, and the world."
Naofumi blinked. He had no idea that news of their summoning would cause this much of a reaction. While some looked at him with interest, others looked at him with concern - no that wasn't quite right. There was fear in their expressions.
The king leaned into his hand with a sigh. "And … against my better wishes, I have also decided to summon the Shield. Despite his history in Melromarc, I sincerely hope that his presence will be for the better of the world."
And there it was, that shield. What was it that made him so special? It had only been minutes, but he could already tell that there were differences in how people treated him compared to the other guys. Throughout the entire meeting, the king had barely met his gaze.
"Your majesty."
"Yes Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu hesitated for a moment. "I admit that I am more than a little confused. By your words, we are supposed to be the cardinal heroes?"
"That is correct." The king nodded. "The Spear Hero, the Sword Hero, the Bow Hero, and the Shield. You four are the ones who will save this world from the waves of catastrophe."
Motoyasu nodded slowly. "I see ..." Naofumi didn't. "And if I might ask, what exactly are the waves of catastrophe?"
As the whispers submerged the court, the king's expression quickly became concerned.
"Are you not familiar with this land?"
"I admit that I am a stranger to this world." Motoyasu replied. "By your own words, this is the first time we have been summoned here."
When Motoyasu turned toward them, it took Naofumi a moment to realize he was prompting them to speak.
"I've never been to Melromarc." Itsuki said.
"This is my first time." Naofumi added on.
The king nodded slowly. "I see. Since you are strangers to this world, it would make sense that you have no knowledge of it."
Well that much should have been obvious.
"Pardon me, but are we really the cardinal heroes?" Motoyasu asked skeptically.
"You have been chosen by the cardinal weapons, of that there is no doubt." The king replied firmly. "As for the reason for why you have been summoned, allow me to explain."
As the king spoke, it turned out that these waves of catastrophe were phenomena in which monsters would invade this world. Only a month had passed since the first wave. Between the kingdom's knights and adventurers, they had barely managed to survive.
The next wave would occur in less than three weeks. During that time, the kingdom had been mobilizing the rest of its army. However, without knowing where the waves would occur, they were forced to spread their forces across the entire country. With the future waves said to increase in power, the kingdom had become desperate.
"And that is why we have decided to summon you here. To defend this land and save the people of Melromarc."
The king paused. It had been a minute since Naofumi had been holding his hand up waiting for the king to acknowledge him. "Shield."
"Thank you." Naofumi stepped forward. "I have to admit that I am a little confused. What exactly are the waves and why did you choose to summon us?"
"If we were able to answer those questions, the threat of the waves would not exist." The king sighed. "As it stands, I am afraid that we do not understand why the waves occur. All we know is that every few centuries a rift will appear summoning monsters into this world. Unlike regular monsters, these creatures are without intelligence, fueled only by violence."
"As for you, it appears you are the current generation of heroes: the spear hero, the sword hero, the bow hero ... and the shield. We did not summon you specifically as the exact mechanics of the summoning are unknown even to us."
"Thank you." Naofumi stepped back.
Ren raised a hand. "So ... will we be expected to fight the waves alone?"
"We will of course do our best to support you heroes. Tomorrow, I will summon you here. We will have equipment and powerful allies ready to fight by your side."
Ren nodded slowly. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking. With the way his eyes narrowed, his expression was almost as much of a mask as the king's.
"I have a question." Itsuki said. "Will fighting the waves be the only thing that we're doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"The waves of catastrophe only come every few months. We have all that time to prepare for them, but will we also be offered the chance to go on quests?"
"Of course." The king nodded. "I would not deprive the heroes the chance to assist my people. During the time between the waves, you may prepare as you see fit. Whether that be by gaining experience fighting with your party members or helping the people of this land."
Itsuki looked satisfied. "Thank you."
Motoyasu stepped forward.
The king smiled. "Ah, sir Spear Hero, what is it?"
Motoyasu frowned. "My apologies, your majesty. I understand the importance of fighting the waves of catastrophe however …" He took a deep breath. "Is there a way for us to return home?"
There was a collective gasp as several eyes stared at him.
"Legend states that some of the cardinal heroes of the past returned to their worlds after defeating the waves of catastrophe."
"So ... it isn't guaranteed." Motoyasu said quietly.
The king frowned. "Is there a problem, Spear Hero?"
Motoyasu's expression looked pained. "My apologies, your majesty. Let me make it clear that it is not my intention to abandon anyone. I only ask because there are some things I need to do back home. My family, my friends …" His eyes drifted down. "I need to speak with them."
The king's expression softened. "My apologies, Spear Hero. It is clear that your values of courage and loyalty are true to the people of your world. Let it be known that Melromarc will do all it can to assist you in finding a way to return back home."
"I see." Motoyasu's expression looked frozen.
The king scratched his beard. "I'm sorry for your circumstances, truly."
"And yet you've summoned us here." Ren remarked. "Against our will."
The king frowned. "Let me restate that Melromarc will do everything in its power to assist you, once the waves of catastrophe have been dealt with."
Ren's eyes seemed to harden a little before looking away. The atmosphere in the throne room felt strangely tense.
"I suppose I will have no choice but to believe in your words." Motoyasu spoke up. "And I thank you for your assistance, your majesty."
"Thank you, sir Spear Hero." The king nodded. "We will of course repay you handsomely for your deeds in this country. Let it be known that Melromarc is grateful for the sacrifices you have made."
Motoyasu nodded slowly, but Naofumi wasn't sure how much of that he caught. After hearing what he said, Naofumi couldn't help but think of home.
"Let it be known that Melromarc welcomes the four cardinal heroes!"
As the crowds cheered, Naofumi's thoughts drifted to his younger brother, his parents, and all the friends he would be leaving behind. It was uncertain if he would ever see any of them again, and after considering that Naofumi felt it difficult to smile.
Still, he tried his best to remain positive. He may not have felt like a hero, but in this world he had the opportunity to become one, the Shield.