Rise of the Sword and Shield Chapter 20: Retribution
Lyall the Werewolf: The long-awaited duel is finally happening. I apologize for the wait. You have no idea the strenuous effort it takes to bring about a long-awaited fight to life.
Of course, things are different given the title. Now, for anyone thinking Asuka will just beat Motoyasu silly, you'll be in for more than just that.
Like Asuka said in the last chapter, please enjoy the show.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
It was almost time for the duel to begin.
After the mess in the ballroom, Naofumi was guided to the left-wing armory, where Asuka was waiting. As he entered, he found her standing in the middle of the room in silence.
For a while, Naofumi wasn't sure of what to say. He wasn't sure if Asuka was still possessed or not. For all he knew, she could direct her homicidal rage at him. She did say he didn't care, and maybe there was a grain of truth to that. If so, it meant making things right, Naofumi would face Asuka's wrath.
"Asuka…" he quietly called out.
"Haa… I can't believe it…" Asuka muttered. She turned around to face Naofumi with comically tear-filled eyes. Her eyes were no longer glowing blue and were back to their usual brown color. To Naofumi's shock, she was back to normal.
"Y-You're back?" Naofumi asked.
"I can't believe I let you and everyone see me like that! It's so embarrassing!" Asuka whined as she covered her face in shame.
"I'll take that as a yes," Naofumi said with a growing smile on his face. Seeing her mortified by her prior behavior was refreshing in a way.
"The possession wore off while I waited here…" Asuka sighed, "I don't know how I can go out there with so many people watching and expecting me to go all psycho!"
"I thought you didn't care about the public's perception of you. If you ask me, you should let that rage more often. That way they'll respect you." Naofumi said.
Asuka looked at Naofumi with a pouty face, "I knew you wouldn't understand! Respect through intimidation might work for you, but I can't use my angry possessed self on command!"
"Is that so?" Naofumi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll… admit, it felt good seeing them all squirm," Asuka mumbled sheepishly.
"I can tell you got a real kick out of seeing Motoyasu piss his pants," Naofumi smirked. Now that the tension was gone, he wasn't afraid to show the satisfaction of seeing Motoyasu peeing himself in front of a whole crowd.
"Please stop! I don't wanna think about it!" Asuka pouted.
"Haha!" Naofumi laughed. He was glad his worries were for nothing. However, it didn't mean he could forget about the duel and what was at stake.
He wasn't the only one.
"Seriously though, let's forget about that for now." Asuka said seriously, "Why are you here, Naofumi-kun? Did they make some changes to the duel without telling me?"
"Actually, yeah… thanks to Itsuki's proposal," Naofumi said as he recounted what happened after Asuka stormed off from the ballroom.
[-Flashback: Ball Room-]
"You wish to participate in the duel as well, Itsuki-dono?" Aultcray asked.
"Yes, and not just me. Naofumi-san as well. In a two-on-two battle. Motoyasu-san and myself vs Asuka-san and Naofumi-san." Itsuki said.
The crowd was surprised to hear this. Some were intrigued at the prospect of the Cardinal Heroes dueling each other in the arena. It would make for good gambling.
"I don't know. A Sacred Duel is traditionally a one-on-one bout between two combatants. All four Cardinal Heroes fighting each other in such an event is unheard of." Aultcray said skeptically.
"All the more reason. It'll make quite the spectacle." Itsuki said confidently, "Of course, we don't need to make it an outright brawl. The infamous Asuka-san and Naofumi-san vs. me and Motoyasu-san. Victory depends on which team can't fight anymore."
"What you're suggesting is still unusual. Regardless of whether she likes it or not, Asuka-dono is still the Sword Hero, one of the icons of the Three Heroes religion. Having her fight alongside the Shield Hero would be problematic."
"Tch…" Naofumi grunted.
"I agree with Itsuki-sama!" Myne announced.
"M-Malty?" Aultcray uttered in surprise.
"You must acknowledge that the Sword Bimbo's behavior is problematic, yes! At every turn, she refuses to part-take in our religion and continues to defy our expectations. Therefore, pitting her with the Shield Hero against Motoyasu-sama and Itsuki-sama and losing the duel will make her see reason!" Myne pushed. She didn't care how the duel would go so long as the Sword Bimbo would be punished for the crime of damaging her perfect skin. And of course, she still wanted a slave.
"Hmm… perhaps you're right." Aultcray conceded.
"That's not what I had in mind, but whatever convinces you to agree to those terms," Itsuki said. He turned to Naofumi, "This also gives you a chance to fight for your slave. You can't rely on Asuka-san for everything."
Naofumi scowled. He didn't like the scheming look on Itsuki's face.
"I wasn't going to. I don't know what you're planning, Itsuki, but it doesn't matter. I'll get Raphtalia back." the Shield Hero swore.
This earned Itsuki's satisfaction.
"So you consent? Good. I'm sure Asuka-san won't mind the changes to the duel. Now we need Motoyasu-san to get his act together."
Everyone turned to the still-cowering Motoyasu.
"I'm dead… I'm so dead! Asuka-chan, please forgive me…!"
"Enough of your rambling, Motoyasu-dono! You're embarrassing yourself and me!" Aultcray chided.
"B-But, Asuka-chan…" Motoyasu whimpered.
"Asuka-dono will return to normal when you win. That won't happen if you sit here cowering! You must be brave, for her sake, and the demi-human girl's as well!"
"Brave…" Motoyasu repeated. That's right. Asuka and Raphtalia needed him. He had to save them.
Motoyasu stood up with a resolute face and marched forward, "That's right. I promised to save Asuka-chan and Raphtalia-chan. For their sake, I gotta be brave! I gotta be brave! I gotta be brave! I gotta be brave… I gotta-"
The Spear Fool's chant abruptly ended when he remembered Asuka's insane smile and imagined what she would do to him, causing him to shutter.
"I gotta be some kind of nut!" Motoyasu shouted and turned in the other direction to run away from his fate, "GANG WAY!"
His efforts to escape were futile as Myne held his arm back.
"Oh no, you don't! You're going to teach that Sword Bimbo a lesson, no matter how insane she is!" Myne demanded.
Meanwhile, Aultcray and Itsuki facepalmed in mortification while the crowd of nobles stared in disbelief.
Naofumi was snickering at the sight of his most hated enemy trying to escape the inevitable.
[-Flashback End-]
"He really tried to run away?" asked an amused Asuka. It seemed her warning didn't get through to him. Motoyasu may have a right to be scared, but they all come this far. Backing out now was pointless.
"Haha! It was hysterical! You really put the fear of God into Motoyasu!" Naofumi laughed out loud.
Asuka was amazed that Naofumi could laugh and smile like that. It appears the suffering of his enemies made him happy. It was understandable, given who they were up against.
"Well, putting that aside… I'm unsurprised that Myne-san and her father agreed to Itsuki-kun's suggestion. They no doubt want to increase Motoyasu-kun's chances at winning." Asuka shrugged. No one wanted to win the duel more than them if it meant they could spit Naofumi.
Having help from Itsuki would give Motoyasu an edge with long-distance attacks backing his short-ranged ones. They'd be the perfect combo. If they actually focused.
"You don't seem worried." Naofumi calmly said.
"No, I'm not. But, just to be on the safe side…" Asuka handed the items to Naofumi. They were small egg-shaped objects. Two in total.
"What're these things?" Naofumi asked as he examined them.
"They're smoke bombs," Asuka answered.
"Smoke bombs?"
"Yeah. They're good for distracting enemies and helping to make a fast getaway. Homemade smoke bombs are easy to make, and like forks and knives, they count as utility items, so there are no weapon restrictions on them." Asuka explained.
"You made these? And there's no weapon restriction for using them?"
"That's right." Asuka nodded, "But ingredients are hard to come by, so I don't have a whole lot. I'll give you two."
Naofumi thought that these kinds of items would definitely be useful in a battle. He just wished he could have thought to make smoke bombs himself sooner. Maybe he could make actual bombs later.
"Are you sure? You're the one who made them. Wouldn't you need these more than me?"
"I still have a few left, so I won't miss two," Asuka said as she patted her pouch. "Besides, it's better than not being able to use the weapons here."
Now that she mentioned it, Naofumi noticed the wide variety of weapons stashed in the room. Swords, spears, bows, and many others were mounted on walls or stacked in containers. He tried taping one of the swords, only to get zapped on the fingertip. Clearly, these weapons were used as a reminder of his glaring inability to use them and a punishment for his neglect of Asuka.
"Right then." Naofumi nodded as he stored the smoke bombs in his pocket, "So, I assume this is part of your strategy?"
"Yeah. I'm confident we can win, but Motoyasu-kun and Itsuki-kun have impressive skills. I'm counting on you for defense, but don't use the smoke bombs until I give the okay. They made me promise not to use them for the duel, but they won't expect you to use them. Nor those balloons you have hidden in your mantle."
"You notice?" Naofumi smirked as he causally revealed the balloons tucked away and latched onto his body.
"I heard you used them for intimidation in the market. Pretty clever." Asuka said.
"So, I trip them while playing defense. That much I can do. And what're you going to do?" asked Naofumi.
"Go hog wild." Asuka said while smiling maliciously, "Let's be real; it's a good thing they're both participating in this duel. They both need to be taught a lesson…"
"So you were serious about teaching Motoyasu a thing or two. Guess we can add Itsuki to the equation." Naofumi thought. Actually, that would be a given. The rage and sadism she displayed were the genuine article. He shuttered to think if he was on the receiving end of it. She doesn't seem to care about clearing his name anymore either. And he probably deserved it for his treatment of her before now. No, he did deserve it.
"The duel between the teams' Spear and Bow Heroes and the Sword and Shield Heroes will now begin! The victory is decided if one team is incapacitated or admits defeat!"
The announcement caught Asuka and Naofumi's attention.
The doors draw open, signaling for them to come out.
"Looks like it's time… let's go!" Asuka said.
Asuka marched forward to the arena grounds, with Naofumi trailing behind her.
On the other side, Motoyasu and Itsuki exited the west armory.
The arena stands were filled with enthusiastic spectators. Many had placed bets on which team would win. An overwhelming majority placed their money on Motoyasu and Itsuki. Richter and Rino were in the stands as well. Rino cheered loudly for Asuka to win while Richter remained silent.
All Four Cardinal Heroes stood face to face with determined looks in their eye. As determined as Motoyasu could get anyway after his embarrassing behavior.
"King Aultcray and Pope Balmus of the Three Heroes Church will observe this duel! Therefore, it is both legitimate and official!" decreed the referee, as the King and Pope sat at separate specially decorated balconies.
Down on the courtyard floor, Naofumi's eyes turned toward King Aultcray, who had a stern expression on his face as he sat comfortably in his armchair overlooking the arena. Raphtalia was forced to sit behind him with her arms tied and mouth gagged so she couldn't speak. Naturally, Naofumi found this deplorable, considering how demi-humans were generally treated in Melromarc. He may claim he wanted to save her, but that piece of trash obviously couldn't care less about her feelings because of her race. It also reminded Naofumi of how King Trash and the others treated Asuka like a victim during that fake trial. It seemed everything Trash did was designed to draw more ire from the Shield Hero.
And then, there was that bitch…
"Motoyasu-sama, Itsuki-sama! Good luck!" Myne cheered to the Spear and Bow Hero team as she stood off to the far left on the ground floor. She was close to the wall and far enough away that she wouldn't get hurt.
Naofumi angrily growled at seeing her. Everything was her fault. It pissed him off more as she was so carefree.
"Your Majesty!" Asuka called out to King Aultcray, "Why is Myne-san allowed to stand down here where it could get potentially dangerous? She could get hurt!"
"Oh! I see you returned to your senses, Asuka-dono!" Aultcray said, his voice echoing throughout the courtyard.
"Please answer the question."
"Hmph…My daughter merely wishes to provide Motoyasu-dono and Itsuki-dono better moral support. Nothing more."
"Isn't there a chance she might interfere with the fight?" Asuka asked, "This is a two-on-two fight! So if she decides to interfere, wouldn't that count as breaking the rules?"
"You are correct in your assumption. And if such a thing were to happen, I would halt the match immediately," said Aultcray, "But Malty would never do such a dishonorable thing."
"I see." Asuka acknowledged and turned her focus back to her opponents. From the corner of her eye, she saw Myne smirking with glee.
"Asuka, you're okay with this? You realize he's lying, right?" Naofumi asked.
"Yeah. It's all part of their plan. This Sacred Duel was rigged from the start." Asuka explained.
"Bastards!" Naofumi growled. Of course, all of those pieces of trash were against him and Asuka from the start.
"Don't worry about them, Naofumi-kun. We just need to focus on the fight," Asuka advised.
"But there's no way she won't interfere! You know that!" Naofumi retorted.
"Yeah, and I say let her. She'll suffer dearly for it." Asuka replied cryptically.
That sounded a little scary to Naofumi, but he decided to trust Asuka's judgment for now. It was clear Motoyasu and Itsuki weren't the only ones in for some punishment. After all, Myne was the cause of everything that went wrong since the Heroes' arrival.
Meanwhile, Motoyasu was relieved that Asuka was no longer insane.
"H-Hey, Itsuki, it looks like Asuka-chan is back to normal now!" Motoyasu said with relief.
"Don't let your guard down. You've seen what her cheating ability is capable of." Itsuki advised. He also noticed Myne was standing off to the side. He questioned her presence as well. She could get hurt or interfere with a legitimate fight. However, he had something more important to do. He was going to decipher the mystery of Asuka's cheating ability and then prove his superiority over her.
"Hey, what she did to Chimera was a fluke. I'm sure of it." Motoyasu retorted. He shifts his gaze to Asuka.
She had a neutral but focused expression. Motoyasu couldn't tell what she was thinking, and he didn't like it. Still, there might be a way to convince her to stand down so they don't have to fight.
"You know, I wished this day never came, but now that it has, I just want to say I'm sorry it had to come to this." said Motoyasu to his opponent, "And about what happened to your friends… I'm sorry about them, too. I'm sure you miss them quite a bit."
As Motoyasu rambled on, Asuka took in his words. It didn't make her feel better about herself. Instead, it provoked a silent anger. And with it, a familiar voice whispering in her ear. The voice of Homura.
"Listen to him mock you! What does he know about the sorrow in your heart? Nothing, that's what! He died an embarrassing death, yet he has no shame about it. And he's trying to butter up you to save himself further embarrassment after what he did. After what he and that bitch forced you to do. It's pathetic."
Normally, Asuka would have tried to tune the voices out. However, it seemed listening to this time stoked a fire in her. It waited patiently to burst.
"I promised I'd save you, and I meant it. I'll save Raphtalia-chan too. That way, we can be friends!"
"Friends? You wanna save me and Raphtalia-chan and be friends?" Asuka asked innocently.
"More than anything! I may not be a good replacement for the friends you lost, but I'll do my best for you, Asuka-chan!" Motoyasu declared passionately.
As he stood beside him, Itsuki couldn't believe his partner had the gall to talk about rescuing and friendship with someone who clearly didn't want either. And for good reason.
The same went for Naofumi, who was disgusted. It was that fool's fault they were all standing here, and it was especially his fault Asuka hated them all and could go nuts again at any moment.
However, Asuka smiled cheerfully, "Okay!"
"Huh?" the male Heroes were surprised by her reply.
"You just want to be friends, right, Motoyasu-kun?" Asuka asked in a cheery tone, "I don't mind at all."
"Y-You really mean it?!" Motoyasu looked like he was about to cry in a fit of joy.
Meanwhile, a pale-faced Itsuki took a few steps back. He could tell something was off about Asuka's statement. Her sudden smile and cheerfulness were equally unnerving.
Naofumi also had the good sense to stand back and raise his shield. He changed it to the Cerberus Claw Shield as well.
"Of course I do. After all, friends don't hold back on each other when fighting." Asuka eerily said as her eyes glowed blue again.
"Eh…?" Motoyasu turned pale.
The Wrath Sword appeared in a flourish of blue flames in Asuka's hand, replacing the simple Small Sword.
"W-What…?" the Spear Hero paled further.
"Are all combatants ready?" the referee loudly asked. Seeing as they all were eager to fight, he shouted, "BEGIN!"
As soon as the duel began, Asuka disappeared in a flash again. The male Heroes were only allowed a brief window of confusion before the wrathful Sword Hero reappeared in the air in front of the Spear Hero.
"EEK!" Motoyasu instinctively raised his spear to defend against the oncoming attack.
Asuka slammed the Wrath Sword down on Motoyasu's spear hard enough to make his entire body vibrate while a small crater formed beneath his feet. The force of the attack pushed him down.
The crowd was silenced upon witnessing what just happened. They were in shock at Asuka's speed and veracity.
During this time, Motoyasu got a good look at Asuka's face. Her glowing eyes seethed from rage, and she wore a wide sadistic smile.
"Fufufu…" Asuka chuckled softly.
Motoyasu turned blue in the face from fear. She truly was still insane. And he was so dead.
"I-I don't get it… I wanted to make Asuka-chan happy, but she's still scary! Why?!" Motoyasu frantically thought.
"Motoyasu-san, focus!" Itsuki shouted as he fired a Wind Arrow from his bow. It was aimed at Asuka.
She leaped away from Motoyasu before the arrow could hit. She landed across the ground from the Spear Hero.
"Remember, you have to defeat her to save her from the drug!" Itsuki reminded. He couldn't believe he was using the drug excuse to motivate Motoyasu, but he had no choice. If they wanted to win the duel, Itsuki needed the Spear Hero to keep his composure.
"B-But…" the Spear Hero uttered. He was too scared to fight back.
"Here she comes again!"
After hearing Itsuki's warning, Motoyasu hesitantly turned to Asuka. To his horror, she charged forward to attack again. And she was still smiling. And it wasn't the gentle kind of smile that a cute girl would normally have.
Once she was at striking range, she leaped forward and waved her sword at Motoyasu's head. He lurched back to evade the attack, which created a Vertical Slash wave in the air.
He staggered back to avoid another sword strike. And another. And another until he was beginning to tire out. He would have dropped if not for this strange rejuvenating feeling. It felt familiar, but he didn't have time to think about it.
"What's wrong, Motoyasu-kun? You want to save me and be friends with me, right? Then, stop running and show me what you've got!" Asuka yelled with sadistic glee.
Trying to shake off his fear, Motoyasu thrust his spear forward. Drawing a glowing circle with his weapon, the Spear Hero lunged forward again, this time with a flurry of magic-powered thrusts.
"Chaos Spear!"
From her point of view, Motoyasu was moving in slow motion, making it easy to predict and dodge each strike. She didn't break a sweat as she evaded the thrusts from Motoyasu, who even increased his speed during the assault. This continued for several seconds until the final thrust. She jumped with perfect ease above the Legendary Spear.
Motoyasu could have used this moment to evade her next attack if he had not been distracted by Asuka's bouncing breasts and panties flashing after the jump she made. Using this moment of distraction, Asuka sent the perverted Spear Hero flying with a speedy roundhouse kick to the face. He rolled and bounced across the arena until he was laid out on his back.
"Agh!" Motoyasu groaned as he caressed his face from the intense pain. That kick almost shattered his skull.
He slowly removed his hands from his face, but to his horror, Asuka stood over him.
"Being my friend means you can endure this much punishment. After all, my friends from my old world could fight at this level. How long can you last?" Asuka said with a gleeful smile.
"Hii!" Motoyasu sniffled as the fear tightened its grip on him. It spurred him to get up and run. But Asuka grabbed him by the cap, preventing his escape.
"Oh no. You're staying right here. Remember, you need to be taught a lesson." Asuka reared Motoyasu back and delivered a fierce kick to his back, sending him flying once again.
He landed hard on the ground, with a sickening crack to his back. Miraculously, his spine was still intact.
A few seconds later, as his eyes opened and his vision snapped back into focus, he saw Asuka diving down straight toward him, ready to slam her sword down on him. He narrowly avoided getting stabbed by rolling over to the side. Asuka jabbed her sword into the ground where Motoyasu lay.
The Spear Hero took this chance to thrust his spear at Asuka, but the Sword Hero used her scale mail to deflect the spear by pushing against its broadside and within moments, delivered an uppercut to the jaw of the Spear Hero that sent him spiraling into the air for a few seconds.
After easily pulling out her sword, Asuka quickly leaped into the air to meet him and gave another kick to his side, slamming Motoyasu against the ground on his back again, just a few feet apart. Asuka landed on the ground without any problem.
Motoyasu had nearly lost consciousness, but he wasn't out yet. Blood came out of his mouth due to ruptured organs.
Amazingly, Asuka was still holding back, but not out of mercy. She wanted Motoyasu to suffer more physically, but before breaking his spirit.
The crowd was shocked by how easily the Sword Hero beat the Spear Hero. They were somewhat concerned about him too. Some would agree he deserved the physical torture for his insensitivity and lack of regard for the Sword Hero's feelings, but it was still shocking to watch.
Meanwhile, Naofumi stood there contemplatively. He saw what Asuka was capable of during the Second Wave, but this ferocity was something else. She wasn't giving Motoyasu time to breathe, let alone think. She was toying with him, like a cat does to its prey. Her comment about her friends being able to fight on this level made him wonder what kind of world Asuka came from. Whatever advantage they hoped to gain with this two-on-two duel was pointless. The Shield Hero thought he probably didn't need to be here to back her up.
"Arrow Rain!" Itsuki called out as he aimed his bow at the sky and released a wide volley of light arrows. The hale of arrows rain down to Asuka's position. She stood motionless as the arrows fell and prepared to skewer her.
"On second thought, never mind!" Naofumi thought. Thrusting his shield arm forward, he called out a skill, "Shooting Star Shield!"
The starlight shield enveloped the area around Asuka, protecting her from the arrows as they landed.
"When did he get a skill like that?" Itsuki wondered. He remembered that weapon shop. The owner must have given him a shield to copy after Itsuki left.
Thanks to using them more than once to the point of mastery, Naofumi could use most of his shield's skill regardless of what shield he was using.
"Itsuki, watch it!" Motoyasu bellowed, "You could have seriously hurt her!"
Itsuki and Naofumi see that Motoyasu has gotten up. Aside from blood dripping from his nose, his wounds were healed up.
"Are you kidding?! What part of duel do you not understand?!" Itsuki yelled back "We have to fight back if we want to win!"
"But Asuka-chan's still a girl! We have to hold back!"
"Why? She isn't!"
While the Spear/Bow Team argued, Naofumi wondered why Motoyasu stood up like nothing happened. He should be battered and bruised by now. He looked at Myne suspiciously. And just as he thought, judging by the glowing pale green light on her hand, she subtly used healing magic on Motoyasu. And no one said a thing.
"I knew that bitch would interfere!" Naofumi growled. He would have called this action out, but he stopped himself. He realized no one would say anything in his or Asuka's defense. He also remembered what Asuka said about focusing on the fight. Despite her crazed state, Naofumi decided it was better to trust her instincts.
Despite the initial shock from seeing the Sword Bimbo's opener, Myne was determined to ensure Motoyasu and Itsuki achieved victory in the duel over that psychotic brat and the Shield Hero. So long as the audience looked the other way per her father's order, the plan wouldn't fail.
Meanwhile, up on the King's balcony, Raphtalia was livid by the blatant cheating on Myne's part.
"Hrmm!" Raphtalia's muffled screams were ignored by a smug Aultcray. She wanted to demand why he wasn't stopping the duel after Myne interfered and healed Motoyasu.
"Have patience, my dear. Asuka-dono may have impressive combat skills, but it will only be a matter of time before your captor loses, and you'll be set free." the King said with feigned kindness. What became of the demi-human girl afterward was of no consequence to him. All that mattered was taking away anything the Shield Hero held dear like his enemies in Siltvelt did to him all those years ago. Not even the Sword Hero would get in his way.
Raphtalia was still angry. However, Asuka dominated most of the fight. Even if she looked scary now, she was guaranteed to win.
Speaking of the Sword Hero, something perplexing happened.
She stood there motionless as though she were lost in thought.
In Asuka's point of view, she once again stood in a dark void, surrounded by specters. However, instead of the jeers from her friends, who were angry at her failure, Asuka heard encouraging whispers.
"That's it, Asuka, show them your anger. Show them you are not to be trifled with. Let them see the beast they've unleashed." said Phantom Homura.
"Unleash… the anger…" Asuka whispered.
"That's right. They've oppressed you long enough. You've held back long enough." said Phantom Yomi.
"Thus, it's time to stop holding back. You've suffered long enough. And for what? Nothing." Phantom Ikaruga said.
"Run wild! Leave them speechless with fear and pain. Imprint on those bastards that you won't take their crap anymore!" Phantom Katsuragi demanded.
"Yeah, they won't look down on you anymore!" Phantom of Mirai grinned.
"There's no need to hold your emotions back." Phantom Hikage encouraged.
"Yes..." Asuka said. Every word sounded more enticing than the last.
"Their crimes against you won't go unpunished. They lie, they pester, and they never stop posturing. And unless you teach them, they will never learn." said Phantom Yagyū.
"You can do it! Punish them! Make them regret making you cry! Don't let them get away with desecrating our memory!" Phantom Hibari cheered.
"Don't be shy. Let the anger out. You deserve satisfaction, and those who hurt you deserve punishment." Phantom Haruka said.
The voices of all the Shinobi she once knew in her old life fed the fire in her soul.
The people who caused her suffering appear in front of her. Motoyasu, the clown who thinks he can save her. Itsuki, in all his arrogance, believed he was above everyone else. Aultcray, a petty man unfit to be King. And the worst of them all, Malty S Melromarc. The root cause of everything. Her sadistic glee at seeing others suffer and her unrepentant arrogance caused no end of grief for Asuka and those around her.
They will pay. All of them will learn their lesson. And the former Good Shinobi will do just that.
"Yes. I won't hold back anymore. They must be punished!"
Still wearing her demoted smile, Asuka raised and stabbed the Wrath Sword into the ground, causing blue flames to erupt. The fire covered Asuka's surroundings, shielding her from view.
When the flames died down and dissipated, the person who summoned them was gone again. This time, in her place, was a hole in the ground.
"What?!" Aultcray's previously stoic face was dumbfounded at this.
"A-Asuka-chan's gone again…?!" Motoyasu said shakily.
"She's underground! Be careful! She could pop up anywhere!" Itsuki warned as he aimed at the ground.
But, it was too late.
The ground behind Motoyasu cracked. With a thunderous sound, Asuka emerged from behind the frozen Spear Hero.
"KYAAAAAHHH!" releasing an unmanly scream, Motoyasu inelegantly but narrowly evaded Asuka's next strike.
She slammed the Wrath Sword to the ground again. As it stabbed in, blue flames erupted from the blade and spread through the ground. Emerging from those flames were five identical clones. This was the result of skill.
"Wrath Fire Clones!" Asuka said. Waving the Wrath Sword forward, she commanded the clones to attack Motoyasu. They lunge forward at blinding speed.
As they swarmed him, the poor Spear Hero could barely defend himself with his trusty weapon while enduring slashes and other attacks to his armor. His wounds constantly heal for some reason, so it would have been fine. But fighting was all the more difficult because of the psychotic grins the clones were all wearing. They were more than a little distracting for Motoyasu. With tears and snot inelegantly running down his face, he tried to run away, but the clones wouldn't let him.
"Motoyasu-sama!" Myne cried in faux anguish at her chosen Hero losing. She was angry and frustrated at his pathetic display. She had to work overtime to heal Motoyasu's wounds and keep her interference discreet, but it wasn't enough. How was the Sword Bimbo this strong? She couldn't have gained skills this potent in such a short time? Was it from Chimera? No, not even the Second Wave Boss had such a haunting skill.
"Itsuki, a little help! I can't take this anymore!" Motoyasu cried.
"Motoyasu-san, focus!" Itsuki yelled. Despite being unnerved, he remained calm. He aimed his bow at the clones and cast his next skill, "Ice Arrow Volley!"
A torrent of ice arrows was shot from the Legendary Bow. They fly and hit each clone, freezing them solid. However, they broke out almost immediately.
"They aren't vulnerable to ice?" Itsuki thought. In that case, it was viable to fit the source of the clones.
Asuka remained motionless as her clones dished out punishment to Motoyasu. Either she had to stay stationary to operate the clones, or she could act independently but chose to leave herself defenseless. Either way, Itsuki wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by.
"Shooting Star Arrow!"
Itsuki released the arrow of starlight as it flew toward Asuka.
However, it was intercepted by another of Naofumi's shields.
"Air Strike Shield!"
The green glowing shield deflected the arrow in a brilliant burst of light.
Itsuki glared frustratedly at Naofumi.
He may not be useful in this fight, but Naofumi refused to stand around and do nothing.
"I haven't forgotten about you, Itsuki-kun," Asuka said. She slowly turned to the Bow Hero. "In fact, I was just thinking you could use some attention. That's the kind of thing you like, right?"
At that moment, the clones all shift their hostile gaze to the Bow Hero.
Now he was starting to get nervous. Itsuki was good at long-distance attacks. If Asuka got in close, he'd be a goner. More than that, seeing those malicious smiles on those clones' faces dredged up unpleasant memories for Itsuki. He saw them. The ones with superior abilities. They mocked him relentlessly for having a weaker power. Itsuki thought he was special because he was the only one with a psychic power in his middle school class. That all changed in high school, where he learned he wasn't special at all. It was why he turned to console games to escape his cruel reality.
Things were different now. People look up to him now. They worship him. They praise him. Itsuki was a Hero in this world. He would be the best Hero or he would nothing. Itsuki wouldn't back down now, least of all, not in front of a cheater like her.
"Come, Asuka-san! We'll see who the real Hero is!" Itsuki aimed his bow and arrow at Asuka and her clones. He fired a Shooting Star Arrow Volley at them.
"Wrath Fire Wings!" Asuka uttered. Blue flames erupted from the ground beneath her and the five clones' feet. The flames formed into wings on their backs, and they immediately took flight, letting the arrows fly passed Motoyasu.
Asuka and the clones fly toward Itsuki.
Meanwhile, Motoyasu breathed a sigh of relief that he was no longer a target.
"Motoyasu-sama, go for the Shield Hero!" Myne yelled.
"Huh?"
"He's most vulnerable right now! Take him out while the Sword Bimbo is distracted!"
At hearing Myne's suggestion, Motoyasu immediately charged at Naofumi.
"Figures…" Naofumi muttered as he got into a defensive position. Looks like Myne finished repairing Motoyasu's wounds.
With a mighty battle cry, he leaped forward, raising his spear above his head, and prepared to thrust it downward onto his new opponent, who stood and waited until the right moment to block and parry the spear. Motoyasu continued his assault with several quick and precise thrusts of his spear while Naofumi remained on the defensive, blocking away every thrust.
"Not bad for a coward using girls to win his battles!" Motoyasu taunted.
"Tough talk for someone who pissed his pants in front of the girl he claims to want to be friends with!" Naofumi retorted, to Motoyasu's ire.
"S-Shut up! That's neither here nor there!"
"It's everywhere! And it's your fault! If you had the tiniest bit of self-awareness, none of this would have happened!"
Naofumi knocked away the spear, sending Motoyasu away. Despite being correct in his assertion, Naofumi felt that statement could go for himself as well since he was too wrapped up in his own baggage to care for Asuka's well-being. If beating Motoyasu may be a small way of making up for it, what did he have to lose besides Raphtalia?
"I'm aware alright. I'm aware that I'm the only qualified to protect them!" Motoyasu declared, "Myne, Asuka-chan, and Raphtalia-chan! I'll protect all of them!"
"Even if it means facing Asuka in that state again?"
Motoyasu froze after hearing Naofumi's question.
"Even after you beat me, you'll have to fight her again. And something tells me, you won't last long, no matter how many times you get healed." Naofumi taunted.
"SHUT UP!" Motoyasu readied his spear for his Chaos Spear skill again.
Unlike Asuka, Naofumi couldn't evade all of the strikes from the spear skill. While he blocked a few, he sustained a nasty gash on his left shoulder side, forcing him to double back.
This made Raphtalia worry.
However, from Motoyasu's HUD, he could see Naofumi didn't lose much HP from that attack, much to the Spear Hero's frustration.
In the stands, Rino and Vento watched Naofumi's fight with Motoyasu.
"Who's coward now? Him or his opponent?" Rino asked spitefully.
"Now, now. Let's watch and see what happens." Vento said.
Meanwhile, other audience members witnessing these odd turn of events were muttering to themselves.
"I heard the Sword Hero was skilled, but to think she would be this powerful. I put a lot of money on the Spear and Bow Heroes."
"D-Don't worry, once the Spear Hero defeats the Shield Hero, he and the Bow Hero will stand a better chance against the Sword Hero! If they work together, they'll win!"
"I don't know. The skills the Sword Hero is using are unlike anything I've ever seen."
"Yeah, they almost look demonic in nature. Not to mention she seems like she's possessed."
"I heard she was compassionate. Not sadistic."
"I don't care what kind of troubles she's had! If she and the Shield Hero win, I'll be cooked!"
It would appear the nobles were restless from the possibility of losing their money from gambling on which team would win the duel. A vast majority bet on the Spear/Bow Team's victory. At this rate, it was likely not to be in their favor.
In the arena, Naofumi charged forward and delivered a strong uppercut punch to Motoyasu's gut, using his shield. Motoyasu tried to counter with a spear thrust, but Naofumi evaded it and landed a hit. It made a loud clang noise on impact. To Naofumi's frustration, his punch did no damage to Motoyasu.
Seeing this, Myne readily scoffed at the Shield Hero's pointless efforts, "Fool! Did you really think you could hurt Motoyasu-sama with your puny shield?"
"Ow! What the hell?!" Motoyasu groaned as he felt a sharp pain in his side. This pain was caused by an orange balloon monster biting into his side as hard as it could.
Smirking, Naofumi revealed the balloons hidden beneath his mantle. As he had high defense, he felt nothing from their bites.
"H-He snuck balloons in with him?" Myne uttered in shock. If it's not one thing, or it's another. The Sword Bimbo pulling those bizarre skills out of her butt was horrible, but now the Shield Hero was using balloons as weapons?
"Bastard! What kind of game are you playing?!" Motoyasu growled as the balloon biting him bounced off.
"The game we're clearly about to win." Naofumi answered confidently, "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't win. But I'm partnered with Asuka, so I don't think I can lose. Either way, I'm gonna hurt you as much as I want."
Naofumi tossed one of the balloons at the irate Motoyasu.
"Like hell! Fight fair!" Motoyasu recklessly charged at Naofumi, slicing through the balloon with ease. Soon after, he thrusts his spear at Naofumi's shield.
This was what Naofumi was counting on. The gauge was full, thanks to Motoyasu's continuous strike the Cerberus Claw Shield.
"Savage-Counter Strike!" Naofumi slammed his shield into the ground before Motoyasu could land his thrust. The release of energy caused Motoyasu to be knocked back.
While the Spear Hero was knocked off balance, Naofumi thrusted his shield forward and called out, "Air Strike Shield!"
The giant luminescent shield appeared and rushed toward Motoyasu, hitting him in the gut and causing saliva to lurch out of his mouth.
Still not done, Naofumi threw a bunch of balloons at Motoyasu before casting another skill, "Shield Prison!"
Motoyasu was trapped in the Shield Prison with the vicious balloon monsters. They proceed to bite the defenseless Spear Hero without mercy.
"Ow! Hey! That hurts! Cut it out! Let out you cowardly cheat!" Motoyasu shouted while struggling to get free.
"This is bad. At this rate, the Sword and Shield Heroes might win."
"I had no idea the Shield Hero was this capable."
"But it looks like the Bow Hero is fairing better than Spear Hero against the Sword Hero."
As stated, Itsuki did remarkably well in evading close combat with Asuka's clones. His Accuracy ability helped him keep pace with the clones, but he could only do so much against their veracity before feeling fatigued.
However, it didn't mean Itsuki was totally defenseless. After all, he had a move he was saving in case he had engaged in close-quarters combat.
"It's almost complete." Itsuki thought. The arrow he held in the Legendary Bow was steadily glowing bright yellow. It was charging energy and it was nearing completion.
The five clones come together for one final assault on Itsuki. It was perfect for the Bow Hero, as the Legendary Bow finished charging as seen by the intense bright light emanating from the arrow.
"You made a mistake thinking you could challenge me with so many clones, Asuka-san!" Itsuki taunted before shouting, "Charge Shot: Shooting Star Arrow!"
He released the arrow, and it hit the clones, causing a massive explosion of starlight.
When the light dissipated and the dust settled, all of the clones were gone and the real Asuka was done on the ground.
"Asuka!" Naofumi shouted. He, Raphtalia, Rino, and Vento were worried.
Aultcray and Myne looked on smugly as they assumed victory was assured now. They weren't the only ones, as Mald was cheering for Itsuki's victory. Next to him was a conflicted Welt.
"I will say, she had worried for a moment, but I guess she really wasn't a match for a high-level Hero like myself." a confident Itsuki mused. He was somewhat sweaty and tired, but he could still fight.
The Bow Hero turned to Naofumi, aiming his next arrow at him.
"I will also acknowledge that you're more capable than I realized, Naofumi-san. I could see that you had the upper hand over Motoyasu-san. But, can your shield stand up to my arrows?"
Itsuki began charging another arrow shot.
Naofumi was ready to try and block the charge shot coming for him. However, both Heroes see something bizarre.
The seemingly unconscious Asuka was disappearing in a burst of flame.
"What?! She vanished?!" Itsuki gasped.
"No, that was another clone. While they were fighting up top, Asuka must be…" Naofumi thought as he lowered his shield.
CRACK!
The ground behind Itsuki erupted, revealing the real Asuka, who borrowed underground after creating that explosion of flames. She used it as a cover to create her clones underground and allowed them to come up to the surface to wear Motoyasu and Itsuki down.
And now Itsuki was defenseless, left open for a strike from behind.
With one powerful sword slash to Itsuki's back, the Bow Hero fell over and was incapacitated. No blood came from Itsuki's wound, only the grey shimmering light of his vitality following out and into the Sloth Sword.
"W-What kind of skill did you…" Itsuki groaned as he lay helplessly on the ground.
"It's called Vitality Drain," answered Asuka.
"V-Vitality Drain…?" Itsuki weakly asked.
Asuka lifted the Sloth Sword and presented it to him, "With this sword's skill, I can drain the life force of anyone I cut. Don't worry, it's not lethal. You'll just be in a weakened state for a while. Although, you looked tuckered out before."
"I don't believe it… you had a skill like that… and tunneling underground, what kind of skill is that?" Itsuki demanded.
"That's something I've always been able to do. You can't imagine the kind of training I had to pull off stunts like that." Asuka replied.
"Tch… don't lie! It was that cheating ability you have! Nothing you do obeys the rules of the game!" Itsuki angrily snapped. The realization that Asuka was toying with him using her clones made his defeat more frustrating. Worst still, she beat in one hit and he was the first of the Cardinal Heroes to lose.
"Hmph, now I understand why you didn't want me to fight in the Second Wave. You hate the idea that I could show you up, is that it?" Asuka asked in a bored tone.
This caught Itsuki by surprise. How did she know he said that? It could have only been when she infiltrated the castle. She listened in on them the day the King scolded him and Motoyasu. Just how long has she been watching them?
"And you're one to be surprised about hidden skills. That charge shot ability could have been useful in the fight with Chimera." an unimpressed Asuka stated.
"I-I didn't the charge shots for Chimera!" Itsuki barked.
"Whatever you say, Itsuki-kun. Doesn't make a difference. I've won." Asuka walked away from a frustrated Itsuki as he lay flat on his belly.
"Useless…" Myne grunted in irritation at the Bow Hero's loss.
She joined Naofumi as they stood over a downed and exhausted Motoyasu. The Shield Prison skill timed out by the time Asuka was finished with Itsuki.
"Would you look at that? It seems even against Naofumi-kun, you still couldn't win." Asuka taunted.
"I-I… haven't lost yet! I can't!" Motoyasu's body ached all over from the thrashing he had taken. He staggered to his knees, using his spear as support, "I promised that I'd free you from Naofumi's control…! I promised that I'd save you and Raphtalia-chan!"
"Using that excuse again?" sighed Asuka.
Soon after, she and Naofumi heard jeers from the nobles in the audience.
"What a mockery! To think the Fake Sword Hero and the Shield Hero would endeavor to humiliate the Spear and Bow Heroes in such a manner!"
"Have either of you no shame for defacing a Sacred Duel?!"
"The Sword Hero especially is no Hero for her malicious actions!"
"Tch…" Naofumi grunted. Now they chose to say something, only for them to be on Motoyasu and Itsuki's side. He glanced at the King, wearing a smug smirk. Clearly, he was making them say that crap. It was sickening. Well, it didn't matter as long as he got Raphtalia back. And get some sweet payback for the crap these two idiots have put him through.
"We're defacing the duel? They think we're not playing fair?" Asuka hummed, "I guess they have a point. I mean, I'm starting to feel bad about this too."
A surprised Naofumi turned toward Asuka. The blue glow in her eyes fazed into her normal brown eyes. She was her normal self again and seemed to have calmed down considerably after beating Itsuki, but it didn't look like she was done yet.
"What do you think, Motoyasu-kun? Are we being unfair? Am I really that scary?" Asuka asked in a feigned guilty tone.
"It doesn't matter what they say! I'll save you and turn you back to normal, Asuka-chan!" Motoyasu declared. Albeit, his legs were buckling.
"Then I'll give you one last shot!" Asuka cheerfully announced. She attached the Sloth Sword to her hip as it reverted to the Small Sword.
"Huh?" Motoyasu looked up at the Sword Hero with confusion. He was slightly relieved that Asuka was calm again but still cautious.
"It's simple. All you have to do is hit me once with your best skill, and I'll concede defeat. I'll even do you a solid and not fight back." Asuka said.
"What? That's like saying you're giving me a handicap!" Motoyasu snapped.
"Isn't that the idea? You never hit me once when the fight began. And you couldn't beat Naofumi-kun. And his weapon is the shield. You even demanded he fight fair." Asuka flatly reminded.
"T-That's… um…" Motoyasu couldn't bring himself to retort. His wounded pride wouldn't allow it. And he couldn't bring himself to hit Asuka with his best skill. Yes, the Scorpion Stinger Spear would paralyze her, but that would require direct contact with the spear. He could hurt her with the skill, and he didn't want that.
"As Myne-san pointed out, I already know about the spear you got from the Giant Scorpion King, so there's no point in hiding it," Asuka stated.
Myne was in earshot and wasn't happy to hear the Sword Bimbo goading Motoyasu to use the skill she worked so hard to get for him.
"E-Even if you say that, I can't just use it on you… I can't hurt cute girls no matter how scary they get!" Motoyasu bellowed.
"Hmm… I can't tell if you're trying to be chivalrous or you're just too scared to come at me." Asuka shrugged. A mischievous smile graced her lips, "In that case, why don't I give you a bit more motivation?"
"Say what you want! I won't-"
"Aim for my chest." Asuka suddenly suggested.
"HUH?!" Motoyasu couldn't believe his ears. Did she really just say that?
"If you really need something to motivate you to use that skill, just aim for my chest," Asuka said while pointing to her chest.
"Why would I want to do that?!" Motoyasu yelled. It was true that the Giant Scorpion King's skill was more potent if the target was struck in the chest, but Motoyasu wondered if she knew that.
Asuka's smile grew wider, "Because if you hit me there, they might pop out."
"W-What would p-pop out…?" Motoyasu gulped.
"My breasts, of course! Hit me with your Scorpion King's skill, and my top might get destroyed! And then my breasts would be exposed! You want to see that, don't you?"
Those words pierced Motoyasu's brain like lightning. Asuka's soft voice sounded so sugary and sweet. Her eyes glowed amorously. Her smile was equally cute as it was alluring. No longer was it scary or unstable.
Meanwhile, the crowd was absolutely flabbergasted to hear the Sword Hero say what she did. Reactions varied between being abhorred to the idea, while others couldn't contain their excitement at potentially seeing a young girl's voluptuous breasts exposed to the elements. Most of the excited viewers were middle-aged or older males.
Naofumi was equally aghast by Asuka's suggestive words. "What the hell is she thinking? Tempting Motoyasu like that… I thought she hated how much of a pervert he was. Unless she's got some a plan that requires acting this way…"
The Shield Hero glanced back at Myne, who was also flabbergasted. She also looked pissed, judging by her eye twitching.
Naofumi grinned in anticipation, "Well, it wouldn't be the first time someone took advantage of Motoyasu's stupidity. It was only a matter of time before Asuka did it too. What happens next might be the most satisfying thing ever."
Thus, Naofumi kept quiet while Asuka continued with her seduction.
"What's the matter? I thought you wanted to save me from Naofumi-kun's drug. Destroying my top would be utterly humiliating, but wouldn't it be worth it if I was cured?" Asuka asked with her sugary, sweet voice. She even made her breasts bounce to give more emphasis.
"You… want to be cured?" asked Motoyasu as he breathed heavily and his eyes were glued to her breasts.
Asuka leaned forward seductively, "Yes. After that, my heart and my body will belong to you. I'll devote everything to you. I'll love you as much you love me. Just free me from the drug's influence, and you won't have to see that scary side of me again."
Suddenly, all Motoyasu could think about were the breasts he would only see in his dreams. The ones he could reach but never touch. The soft treasures that only fools would dare try to capture for themselves. It would finally be in his grasp.
Feeling energized, Motoyasu stood up and readied his spear.
"Don't fall for it, Motoyasu-sama! She's baiting you!" Myne cried, "You should know by now that deceitful Sword Bimbo wouldn't do this willingly without some trick up her sleeve! Please come back to your senses!"
"Listen to Myne-san! Surely, you realize it's a trap! Think with your brain and not your libido for once!" Itsuki demanded. Even though he was exhausted, he was desperate to at least keep his dignity. And that wouldn't happen so long as Motoyasu fell for the very obvious trap.
"Myne… Itsuki…" Motoyasu said. He turned them with the goofiest face ever conceived, "I was summoned to this world for this moment!"
"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!" Itsuki yelled.
"You got that right," Naofumi smirked. He still wondered what method Asuka had for her madness, but it was fun seeing Motoyasu making an ass of himself.
"So, I guess your mind's made up then." Asuka smiled. There was something sinister about it. Naofumi, Itsuki, and Aultcray were among those who noticed.
"Asuka-dono, cease this foolishness at once! A young lady mustn't readily expose herself in public, even as an obvious bluff! And Motoyasu-dono, what did I say about making me look like a fool?!" an infuriated Aultcray bellowed. Motoyasu losing would have one thing, but if word of this foolishness got out, it would surely reflect poorly on him. Unfortunately, he was ignored.
"Here I come, Asuka-chan!"
"LISTEN WHEN I TALK TO YOU!"
Motoyasu switched the Legendary Spear into the Scorpion Stinger Spear. The spear's tip morphed into an orange and red scorpion's tail.
He lunged forward, thrusting the spear at Asuka's chest. Seconds before the hit, Asuka casually dodged to the left. She gave him a playful smile.
"Oh, I see! Playing hard to get, huh?" Motoyasu asked with lust in his eyes, "You won't get away that easily!"
The exchange went on for a while. Asuka dodged each spear thrust while Motoyasu happily gave chase. Asuka's breasts bouncing and skirt fluttering with each movement enticed him further.
"And he thinks I'm the pervert." Naofumi frowned at Motoyasu's hypocrisy. He could hear some of the perverts in the crowd cheering for Motoyasu to actually hit her with the spear, much to the Shield Hero's disgust. Still, this was quality entertainment.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, Rino and Vento shared their thoughts on perverse action taking place.
"A-Asuka has a plan, right? I mean, what if Motoyasu actually hits her?" Rino asked.
"I don't know what to tell you. However, I'm sure she has a plan." Vento said with an uncomfortable smile.
"Y-Yeah, I'm sure she wouldn't do this if she didn't." Rino nodded with hope.
In another part of the crowd, Mald was infuriated.
"Disgraceful! I knew the Sword Wench was a trollop!" the shiny armored tyrant bellowed.
"Mald-san, you're eyes are a little bloodshot…" Welt said. Indeed, Mald's eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing excitedly.
Back in the arena, Motoyasu continued to pursue Asuka and seemingly had her cornered.
"I got you this time, Asuka-chan!" Motoyasu attempted another thrust.
However, Asuka's Shinobi instincts kicked in as she sensed an attack coming and jumped back to avoid a gust of wind blowing in her direction, while Motoyasu was caught in the blast and blown away.
While in the air, Asuka turned to the direction of where the gust of wind came from, and lo and behold, Myne was the cause, as her hand was surrounded by a light purple magic energy of some kind.
Myne no longer cared about subtlety and would do everything she could to prevent Motoyasu from losing this and making a fool of himself. Or rather, make her look like a fool.
As she landed on the ground, Asuka snickered, having predicted that Myne would try to interfere again. It was time for her punishment.
Myne was ready to cast another Wind Blow spell. However, she was stopped by Motoyasu.
"Myne, what're you doing?!" Motoyasu yelled as he sat up.
"I-I'm sorry, Motoyasu-sama! But, at this rate, you'll lose the duel!" Myne sputtered.
"I don't care about the duel anymore! I wanna see Asuka-chan's big, beautiful boobs!" Motoyasu bellowed without shame.
Myne's jaw dropped, and she lost all color. She watched in bewilderment as Motoyasu resumed his pursuit of the Sword Bimbo.
Meanwhile, Aultcray covered his mortified face with his hands and bemoaned, "That fool… he's going to ruin everything!"
Raphtalia would have pitied the King if he had not held her here against her will and let his daughter interfere repeatedly.
Pope Balmus tried to keep a straight face, but his irritation with the Spear Hero's lecherous behavior was evident from his finger on his chair's arm. His attendants looked nervous and worried.
Naofumi was still wondering what Asuka's plan was until he noticed it. The subtle signal from Asuka to use one of the items she gave him.
"I see now…" Naofumi quietly took out of the smoke bombs. And while he was at it, he could see that Asuka was subtlety maneuvering Motoyasu toward Myne. She did foreshadow that Myne would pay dearly for her interference. The Shield Hero was looking forward to it.
"You can't run forever, Asuka-chan! I will see those boobs!" Motoyasu declared with a swing of his Scorpion Stinger Spear.
Asuka effortlessly evaded the swing by flipping over and landing a few feet away.
Undeterred, Motoyasu got ready for another spear thrust.
"Hey, Motoyasu!" Naofumi called out to the Spear Hero, catching his attention. "Catch!"
Naofumi threw the smoke bomb as hard as he could. Because Motoyasu was too distracted, the bomb hit and created a thick smoke cloud covering the area around him.
"What the hell?!" Motoyasu grunted.
Itsuki watched in shock as the smoke cloud grew wider.
"She gave him one of her smoke bombs?"
The Bow Hero could tell this was over one way or another.
"Dammit! Don't interfere, Naofumi! You won't steal this away from me!" Motoyasu yelled as he tried swiping away at the smoke to see his surroundings.
"That's the way, Motoyasu-kun. Don't let anything get in your way. You're almost there!" Asuka cheered. Her voice didn't sound too far off.
His ears working overtime, Motoyasu turned in the direction of her sweet voice. She was close to the left side of the arena. That much he could tell. He also saw her slender silhouette in the smoke.
"I see you, Asuka-chan! I got you this time!" Motoyasu chased after the silhouette.
Meanwhile, Myne stumbled around as she struggled to get her bearings as the smoke covered her field of vision. She could have sworn she saw that worthless Sword Bimbo lure Motoyasu close to her. Fearing the worst, Myne attempted to move away from the wall to avoid injury. But this smoke made it hard to tell where they might be.
However, familiar glowing blue eyes appeared in front of her. Slowly emerging from the smoke cloud was Asuka, wearing a sinister smile directed at Myne.
The Sword Hero leaned closer to a nervous Myne and said, "Boo!"
Soon after, she leaned back and vanished into the smoke cloud. Replacing Asuka, a glowing orange light formed in the storm. Myne quickly realized what that light was.
"W-Wait, Motoyasu-sama!"
"Scorpion Stinger Spear!"
Before she could do anything, Motoyasu thrust his new spear into Myne's chest, creating a burst of dark orange energy that exploded upon impact, sending the vile Princess flying, destroying her chestplate, and exposing her breasts. The smoke dispersed when the spear's energy burst out, revealing what had happened, much to the audience's shock.
The attack left Myne afflicted with paralysis on the ground. She couldn't move her body, and nothing could save her from suffering the humiliation of her exposure due to being pinned down.
Motoyasu stood there frozen. Reality caught up to him as he realized what he had done.
As she struggled to get up, Myne glared at the Spear Hero for his stupidity.
"M-Myne… I-I didn't… I didn't mean to… Huh!" Motoyasu broke into a cold sweat as he felt a chill run down his spine. He gazed up at King Aultcray, whose eyes were radiating poor bloodlust.
"Motoyasu…" the wrathful Aultcray growled with twitchy eyes.
"Y-Your Majesty…" Motoyasu whimpered while on the verge of tears, "I-I can explain! I-I was just caught up in the moment and… Ah!"
It wasn't enough that he felt terror from a protective father's wrath. He also felt something soft pressed against his back. Normally, such a feeling would be pleasant, but this time…
"This is your problem. You're easily distracted by girls, and that's why you're so easy to take advantage of." Asuka whispered, silky and eerily, "My disguise fooled you easily. And now my little act energized you enough to make you look like an even bigger fool. How pathetic!"
"B-But you said you wanted to be cured… and you would love me… was that a lie?" Motoyasu hesitantly turned back to see Asuka's face.
"Brilliant observation! There might be hope for you yet." Asuka said with her glowing blue eyes and twisted smile. She had the Wrath Sword in hand.
Before he realized how fucked he was, Motoyasu found himself flying across the air, his clothes flying off from being shredded along the way. His birthday suit was now exposed for all the world to see. Soon after, Motoyasu left the conscious world and retreated to unconsciousness.
The extra strength booth Asuka gained from draining Itsuki enabled her to cut through Motoyasu's armor and tear it all to shreds within seconds.
Motoyasu landed limply on the ground. [For the sake of modesty, let's put a censor light over Motoyasu's crotch]
The entire courtyard fell silent after witnessing what just transpired.
Asuka was the first to break the ice with a genuinely happy smile. Her eyes returned to normal again as the Wrath Sword returned to its Small Sword form.
"Ahh! I feel so much better now." Asuka beamed in bliss. Her face lit up with a pristine shine. She turned to the silent Naofumi, "How was it, Naofumi-kun? Was that a good show?"
The Shield Hero suddenly burst into joyous laughter, "Hahaha! That was phenomenal!"
The joy from seeing two of his greatest enemies utterly humiliated did wonders for his mood.
Some in the crowd tried desperately to suppress their own laughter after seeing the foolish, perverted Spear Hero's spectacular and well-deserved loss. Even the stoic Vento could barely manage an amused smirk.
Only Rino freely let out her satisfied laughter at her former leader's defeat. Opposite to her were her former teammates, who hung their heads or turned away in disgrace.
Meanwhile, Myne's face turned a deep shade of red from anger and embarrassment.
Itsuki slammed his head onto the ground and quietly sobbed in defeat. He could only hope no one would associate him with Motoyasu's behavior after this. It might also take a lobotomy to remove the image of Motoyasu's naked body from his memory.
Balmus sighed in exasperation. At least this fiasco was finally over. But now the image of the Three Heroes was tarnished.
Asuka turned up to King Aultcray's balcony with a sly smirk, "So, I guess that means we win, right Your Majesty?"
Aultcray gritted his teeth in indignation. He could see Asuka relishing her victory over him as his plan was foiled, and he was doomed to be a laughingstock.
"After that revolting display?! Never! I'll see to it you both suffer for humiliation my daughter and Motoyasu-dono!" Aultcray declared as he stood from his seat.
"I would advise against that." a familiar voice whispered from behind the King.
Aultcray froze, recognizing this voice.
"A certain individual, whom I'm sure I don't need to name, is displeased with how things have turned out thanks to your poor decision-making. Surely you don't aim to make things worse by denying the Sword and Shield Heroes their rightful victory, do you, Your Majesty?"
"Grrr…" Aultcray grumbled. He could almost feel his body freezing already. His plan to crush the Shield Hero had failed, and there was nothing he could do but concede.
"Referee! Declare them the proper victors!"
"Huh? U-Um… the Spear and Bow Heroes are incapacitated! The winners are the Sword and Shield Hero!"
Not many were happy about this declaration, as the money they bet was lost. The Spear and Bow Hero's party was very disappointed in the duel's outcome as well. Save for Welt from Itsuki's party. One from Motoyasu's party thought it would be time to jump ship before it got worse.
Seeing that his plan was foiled by repair, King Aultcray turned on his heel and walked out of the balcony.
"Release the girl…" Aultcray ordered to one of his attendants. They followed the King's command, untying and removing the gag from Raphtalia. Once freed, she immediately ran off to see her master.
Meanwhile, Asuka and Naofumi bask in their well-earned victory.
"It's over," Asuka said with a satisfied smile.
"No, it's not." Naofumi retorted. This earned Asuka's confusion. "Remember what you said back there? I'm one of the people who hurt you. I don't know if an apology will be enough, but for what's worth, I regret not hearing you out and leaving you alone."
Asuka stood silently. True, she felt hurt by Naofumi's distrust of her, but she long forgave him for that.
"You got even with those guys. Now it's my turn. Do what you need to satisfy your anger. I can take it." Naofumi stood still and waited for his punishment.
"Alright." Asuka nodded as she saw his revolve.
Naofumi closed his eyes. She could knock him with one of those creepy sword skills or strip him completely naked. He deserved it as much. However, instead of anything like that, he felt a small finger flick his forehead. Surprisingly, despite having such high defense, he felt his forehead sting. He shouldn't be able to feel that.
"Ow!" the Shield Hero grunted.
"Next time, listen to me, okay?" Asuka scolded.
"Okay…" Naofumi said as he rubbed his forehead.
"Naofumi-sama!" Raphtalia called out to her master. He and Asuka saw Raphtalia running up to him and hugged Naofumi tightly.
"Raphtalia…" Naofumi sighed in relief. He wrapped his arms around her in return. He never thought he'd be happier to see her safe and sound.
"I was so worried!"
"Yeah, but we won. It's over now."
"Yes!"
"But, are you really okay with being a slave?" Naofumi asked.
"Don't you remember? I swore to be your sword. Now and always." Raphtalia answered confidently.
"Right. Of course, you did." Naofumi smiled. He believed every word of it. At first, he didn't really believe it, but now he could. And it felt like a huge weight was lifted off his chest as a result.
Raphtalia released Naofumi and turned to Asuka with gratitude in her eyes, "Asuka-san, thank you so much for everything!"
"I don't know if I deserve any thanks. If I had done better, Naofumi-kun wouldn't have been branded a criminal." Asuka said sadly. Looking back, she felt it was her fault Naofumi was framed. Despite being victorious in the duel, she still felt this way.
"What're you talking about? You're great! You won as you promised! Even if you were a little scary during the fight." Raphtalia teased.
"Aw! Please don't mention that!" Asuka whined.
"Still, it's thanks to you I can be with Naofumi-sama! I'm forever in your debt!" Raphtalia bowed her head to her benefactor.
"It wasn't just me. Naofumi-kun played his role in this too. He worked hard for you, ya know." Asuka said.
"No. It wasn't me." Naofumi refuted, "This was all you. You're the one who fought hard for our sakes despite how I treated you. I know I don't deserve it, but you forgave me too. I don't know how I can thank you enough for this second chance, Asuka." Naofumi spoke with a genuinely grateful smile.
"And if it wasn't for what you said to me when I was still small and sickly, I wouldn't be who I am today. You and Naofumi-sama gave me hope to fight another day. As I said before, I'm in your debt, Asuka-san." Raphtalia said. Naofumi was a little confused by Raphtalia's statement, but he was fine with it.
Asuka hung her head for a moment, surprising Naofumi and Raphtalia.
"I don't need any thanks from you guys." she looked up at them with joyous tears and a smile, "Because you're my friends."
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Asuka was genuinely happy to be here. Because she found irreplaceable friends in this world.
Asuka leaned in and hugged Naofumi and Raphtalia. Both happily returned it.
Dawn came as the sun rose for this happy occasion.
Watching from afar as medics carry her, Itsuki, and the still unconscious Motoyasu, Myne growled at the disgustingly sappy sight of the Sword Bimbo getting a happy ending. She swore this wasn't over.
Lyall the Werewolf: You ask, and I deliver. Hopefully, this will be satisfying for everyone.
For the record, I don't think Asuka would necessarily want to kill anyone who wronged her. Rightful retribution is a given for sure, though. Pushing Motoyasu's shit in and making him look like an idiot is punishment enough. Also, foiling Bitch and Trash's plans is also a cathartic way to end this. And there's more to come.
Now, for Itsuki's charge shot skill. I felt charge shots should be a natural inclusion in Itsuki's skillset, so I included it. I don't know if he was always able to do that in canon, though, since we don't see him in combat very often. If he can, then whatevs. I also think Itsuki getting a one-hit K.O. fits his "pride before the fall" theme.
No doubt, many of you who have stuck with this story noticed that I reused a good chunk of the original. Well, I figured since no one liked how Asuka lost in the original, I reworked it so Bitch would suffer that fate. It makes more sense for the villain to get what's coming to them after all.
I would like to thank JGResidentEvil for suggesting the Wrath Fire Clones and Wrath Fire Wings skills. They helped immensely with this chapter. As for the other skills we discussed, they'll show up in later chapters.
So, with all that done, I declare the Third Wave Arc (Chapters 15 to 20) over. After a short break, I'll begin work on the next arc, which I shall christen the Mercenary Arc. There's also the third season of Shield Hero in the next couple of days, so get hyped for that.
That's all from me. Go away now!