Chapter 7 - Dawn of Two Souls Part 1
I don't own Rising of the Shield Hero or Live a Live…
Happy New Year!
Mein awoke feeling sore, she got up rubbing her back neck, and she reeled in horror upon her 2nd sleeping bag was covered in mud and filth, she and the hero swapped their bags two nights ago, after her's was torn by a wild monster appears took a bite out it… which the idiot knight didn't kill because he found it cute…
Speaking of which, she spotted the Sword Hero or she preferred to call the Insane Knight, was preparing breakfast… And this time he didn't burn it…
"Oh, good morning, Mein; sleep well?" he happily asked; she groaned. "How long have we been here?" She asked.
The Knight pounded that. "Well, this is the 2nd morning here, soo 3 days," he said, before shifting to the food. The noble just stared blankly at him while murmuring. "Three Days… is been Three F$% ing DAYS! IN GODDAM WOODS!" She screams internally. Mein just glared at the knight, she had been humiliated and treated like some commoner, she tried to seduce him, but he just ignored her, or worse, he didn't notice her advances…
But the worst thing is, every day he put her through training for HOURS, they barely did any leveling up because of it…
Then Oersted turned towards her. "Hey, I made a discovery today. Turns out, this weird blade," he said while holding the Meet Meat Sword, an odd sword with a sickly purple-colored oval-shaped blade. "Can increase my ability to cook… as long as I have it equipped…"
Her eye started twitching as she stared at him, as he gave her food... which once again was a Meet-Usapil Kebab with mushrooms. She just sighed and began to eat…
As the Fake Adventurer ate, Oersted brought up the menu to check his sword, while he did gain more swords, he also noticed some of his blades had a star symbol:
Gnome Sword✭
Iron Sword✭
Meet Meat Sword✭
Water Sword✭
Morphean Spore Sword✭
etc
He Press on the [Gnome Sword]
Mastery: 100
He wasn't sure, but he felt that the sword got stronger. He glanced at his user interface, which displayed his current level: LV 24
Currently, he has [Axion Sword] equipped.
Equip bonus: 13 Attack Locked
Mastery: 20%
- A sword once wielded by a storied warrior. -
He gazed intently at the sword, observing the numerous scratches and dents, when he first brought it up, Mein asked him why he would use some old sword. Took a moment to reflect before explaining that this sword had been gifted to him by a legendary hero who vanquished the lord of the dark, and despite its rough state, it was still capable. He could still remember the moment he received it:
Music: Live a Live - On Broken Wings
He, Streibough, and Sir Uranus stood atop the highest cliff of the mountain known as The Hero's Rest. After the old monk managed to persuade the seasoned hero, Sir Hasshe, to assist them in rescuing the princess, he took a moment to recover his sword, Brion, from the false grave before walking to the cliff's edge. He raises the old sword in the air. He declares that he will defeat the demon once more; as clouds at the horizon are repelled, replaced with brilliant sunlight. He turns to the three. "So wh're to then?" He asked
Oersted just stared in amazement at the warrior, before snapping out stupor. He took a deep breath before responding. "We will headeth to the Devil's Lair and rescueth the princess." he concluded.
Sir Hasshe, however, fixed his gaze on the younger man with a penetrating look. Oersted felt a twinge of anxiety, fearing he might have offended the knight. But then Hasshe turned his attention to the sword Oersted held. "A Gnome Sword? Don't thee have a better blade?" he asked incredulously.
"huh?" Oersted badly responded before the older swordsman seized the sword from its sheath. After a careful examination, he tossed it over his shoulder, much to the shock of both the knight and the mage. "What?!" the former exclaimed in disbelief.
Hasshe remained silent as he unsheathed his own weapon, revealing a weathered Axion Sword. He sheathed Brion and handed Oersted the Axion. "A shouldst beest be better equipped," he stated matter-of-factly. Oersted marveled at the fact he was now wielding the sword of the hero; however, the mage was less than impressed…
After eating, they continued their hunt and encountered some Balloons, Usapils, and Dark Wings. However, they were soon ambushed by an Ochu, an odd plant creature with thorny arms, a large mouth, and a skirt of flower petals. This creature was surprisingly difficult to fight due to its long arms, which allowed it to maintain distance from them. Mein attempted to cast fireballs at the Ochu, but either the creature blocked the spells… or they simply missed.
Suddenly, the Ochu performed a pirouette, releasing a cloud of spores into the air. In response, Oersted used |Wave Slash| to push the spore back, managing to strike the Ochu with the attack.
Getting an idea, he told Mein to prepare a Wind Fist, and he swapped to Morphean Spore Sword and activated |Sweet Breath|, he swung the sword, releasing an intoxicatingly sweet aroma, and Mein cast |Wind Fist| which pushed the aroma at the Ohu, while it blocked the fist; it was hit by an aroma, causing it to become drowsy. The Hero rushed towards it, and the plant attempted to stick the knight; Mein managed to hit its arm; the plant cried in pain but was shot short when Oersted swiftly sliced through the creature, effectively bisecting it in one clean motion. He stood over the cleave plant, watching the two half glowing, before most of the body vanished, he received notifications:
[Plant Sword]
Equip bonus: 2 Absorption
[Thorned Plant Sword]
Equip bonus: 1 Attack
[Petal Sword]
Equip bonus: 1 Collection Skill
[Ochu Sword]
Special equip skill: whip sword
- It extended its length the blade into a bladed whip -
Equip bonus: stamina recovery (small)
He saw Mein panting, and while complimenting her, he knocked her for her poor aiming, "We could work on that before or after lunch," he said with a playful tone, aiming to improve her skills. She simply groaned in response, clearly not thrilled about the prospect.
Suddenly, a loud scream pierced the air, causing Oersted to spring into action without a moment's hesitation. He dashed towards the source of the commotion, despite Mein's protests as she attempted to follow him.
Music: Live a Live - Heroic Struggle
He slashes towards the path until he reaches a narrow path and sees a caravan wagon being attacked by a pack of wolves led by a large red-furred wolf; they shift their attention toward the Knight, and the wagon's occupants stare at the lone man.
The Wolves snarl at the knight before the two of the creature's attempt to jump at him; Oersted quickly steps aside and stabs the wolf's neck before slamming on the other, killing them
The led wolf roars, and the wolves rush over Oersted fend off their attackers. He narrowly avoids the wolves' jaws and parries their ferocity strikes from different angles.
The Wagon occupants, especially a child and older youngster, watch in amazement as the human kicks one of the beasts onto another, while another one behind attempts to leap at him but side steps before slicing the beast in half.
The Older occupant was shocked upon seeing lights appearing on creatures' corpses before disappearing into the blade, and pieces of their bodies went missing. He widened upon realizing who or what this man was. "The Sword Devil?" He thought.
This was confirmed when the knight swapped to [Ochu Sword], expanding its blade, allowing him to slice through the Pack's ranks; when the last wolf fell to the ground, the red wolf snarled and dashed at him, aiming to sink its teeth into his arm. With a quick sidestep, he avoided the beast's desperate attack. Though the creature leaped and attempted to claw him, the knight expertly parried its strikes, countering with a swift swing of his sword targeted at the wolf's flank.
Yet, the wolf dodged his blow and retaliated with fierce intensity. The beast lunged in a blur and slashed against his armor. The impact sent him stumbling back, pain lancing through his side. He gritted his teeth,
Knight quickly got up and swapped to [Axion Sword], resuming his stance; as the creature rushed at him, the battle became a brutal dance, the sounds of steel against claw echoing through the woods.
Suddenly, the wolf lunged again; this time, it managed to bite the blade of his sword with its powerful jaws. A dreadful growl echoed through the clearing.
For a tense moment, they were locked in a deadly standoff, the knight straining against the wolf's formidable grip. He tried to swap swords but an error message flashed before his eyes: ⟨ UNABLE TO SWAP SWORDS ⟩
He panicked for a bit, but he quickly focused and with all his might, he lifted the massive beast and slammed it onto the forest floor with a resounding thud. The wolf let out a pained yelp, releasing its grip from his sword. The Knight, with a swift and decisive motion, drove his sword into the creature's skull, ending the battle.
Music: Chrono Cross - Forest of Cutting Shadows
Exhausted, the knight stood over the fallen beast, his breath heavy and labored. As he sheathed his sword, he turned to face the occupants of Wargon, cloaked figures adorned with animal ears. They whispered among themselves, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension, unsure of their mysterious savior's true identity or intentions. The knight, standing firm and silent, observed them with a cautious eye. Suddenly, a small child, seemingly unafraid, stepped forward from the group
In contrast to everyone else, the boy lacked a cloak, but Oersted was taken aback when he noticed that the boy… had cat ears. This child, unmistakably male, had brown hair. "Thank you for saving us." The Child said, bringing the knight back to reality. The hooded figures stayed far away, observing with bated breath.
Just then, another figure emerged from behind him, and Oersted leaped in shock. Before him stood a young magenta-haired girl with cat ears, she was clad in a vibrant green leotard, her face radiating excitement and curiosity.
The girl, blissfully unaware of the warrior's surprise, grinned widely and began to bombard him with questions, her words tumbling over one another in a whirlwind of enthusiasm. "Who are you? How did you defeat those beasts? Are you some kind of warrior? Where did you come from?" as he began to inspect the man's attire, making him uncomfortable.
Suddenly, a rustling noise emerged from the bushes, and Mein burst onto the scene, panting heavily. "Where have you been?" the kt demanded as he approached her. Just as she was about to respond, she noticed two 'animal people'… and instinctively drew her sword.
"Ahh, Demi-Hu—" she began, but the knight swiftly slapped her sword away. Shocked, she turned to face him, who glared back with an intensity that made her recoil. After a moment of hesitation, she picked up her sword and sheathed it.
He stared at her for a moment. Mein started to become nervous, then he gestured toward the animal people nearby, which left her bewildered. "You want me to use magi—" she started to say, but he raised a hand to stop her. "Apology," he said firmly. Mein was taken aback. "But… they are Demi-Humans!" she protested, only to be met with another cold glare from Oersted. "Well, I guess you don't mind returning to town on your own," he replied, his voice devoid of sympathy.
After a few seconds of tense silence, she sighed and offered an apology to the two Demi-Humans. The knight coughed, prompting her to bow her head and apologize again, albeit reluctantly.
The two Demi-Humans exchanged confused glances, just as the older figure emerged behind them. He ordered them to return to the wagon, and they complied with disappointed sighs. The leader approached the knight and his companion, narrowing his eyes as he examined the young warrior before him. Despite the fact that this warrior had just saved them, the man still had a wary gaze. He removed his cloak.
Oersted noted that the leader was a tall, shirtless man with cat ears, his tan skin adorned with striking red stripes, and his white hair tied back with a green headband.
"Thank you for your aid," the leader said, his voice a blend of gratitude and distance. "But I must ask: who are you?" His cautious gaze revealed a deep-seated wariness. The knight, still regaining his composure, nodded but felt the palpable distrust emanating from the leader. "I'm just a wanderer," he replied carefully. "We were merely passing through the woods when we heard those beasts attacking."
The Man remained skeptical, his tone sharp as he continued, "And I would venture to guess that you two expect something in return for your 'kindness'?" He said, Mein filled with pride, smiled, and began to respond, "We would be honored to—" but Oersted interjected bluntly, "Nothing. We will be on our way." His words shocked them, especially to Mein.
The Man stared at Oersted, his eyes wide. "...Why?" he asked, Oersted paused, taking a moment to respond. "It's been a long, long time... Since I had the chance to do something good and decent. That's reward enough." he said, Mein just rolled her eyes in disbelief, unable to understand his thought process.
As Oersted began to leave with the red-haired behind him, The Man called out, "Wait!" They turned, and the man cleared his throat. "If your two are leaving the forest, we can give you two a lift," The Main said; the two Demi-humans from earlier perked up with excitement, while the Knight hesitated for a brief moment. Ultimately, Mein accepted the offer, prompting Oersted to shoot her an annoyed glance. She met his gaze with determination. "Just… let me have this… please," she begged. With a resigned sigh, the Knight relented, agreeing to the arrangement…
As the wagon creaked softly, rolling along the narrow dirt path. Inside the wagon, aside from the knight and his companion, their five passengers, all of them what Mein referred to as 'Demi-Humans'...
But right now they found themselves bombarded by a flurry of questions from the eager boy and the young girl. "Where are you from?" the boy asked. "Are you two nobles?" the girl asked. The Redhead was already regretting accepting the lift, but Oersted just stayed neutral. The Man told the two youths to let them be, they just pouted.
One of the occupants asked the knight bluntly. "So.. You're the Sword Hero?" This shocks everyone; Mein stared with dread. However, Oersted just replies, "And if I am ?" He asked, the demi-human didn't respond, just crossed his arms as the atmosphere shifted around them.
… Suddenly, a girl piped up, her eyes wide with excitement. "WOW! You're from another world?" Oersted let out a weary sigh, while Mein groaned in frustration. A taller man in the group rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'm impressed. I never thought I would encounter one of the four so soon. But why are you here?" The knight tilted his head slightly, but it was Mein chimed in, "We are leveling up for waves." She flushed slightly; Oersted can senses that she was concealing something. The Man seemed satisfied with the response, but something was on his mind. "But you help us through? The Way you fought the wolves, The way you took on those wolves, it was to protect us," he remarked. Everyone turned to the knight, who simply stated, "It was the right thing to do."
"Huh?" the group echoed in unison, including Mein. A curious boy inquired, "Is it because you're a hero?" The knight chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I am no hero; I'm just a knight fulfilling my duty." His words left everyone momentarily puzzled, just then, the wagon came to a halt, and the driver announced their arrival at the forest's edge
As Oersted and Mein prepared to depart, the girl called out, "Hey, you two didn't tell us your names," she said. The Knight simply responded, "Names Oersted and the red-haired is Mein!" He said, the girl smiled and told them that her name is Pericci, the boy is Ruddle, and the big guy is Cyuss Warren, as she waved to them, bidding them farewell.
The Two began to head back to the capital, much to Mein's relief… However, she sensed Oersted's gaze lingering on her, sending a shiver down her spine. "It's still too early to head back..." he said, a dark grin spreading across his face. "We have not yet had your training!" His voice took on a foreboding tone, filling her with dread.…
After a long magic training, Mein looked like she might collapse at any moment. She had been casting spells for four straight hours, and even when she had exhausted her MP, Oersted would provide her with MP-restoring potions. This had happened so often that she had lost count after the fifth time. Unfortunately, those potions taste like grass, making her nearly vomit.
After a brief and some much-needed rest, they set off again. As they walked, Mein was suddenly struck by an aroma wafting through the air. Oersted, to catch a whiff of it. "That was impressive, it seems your training is paying off," he remarked, causing Mein to groan in response.
Just then, a Usapil emerged from the bushes, and before they could react, a throwing knife hit the creature by the back of the head. Then they heard a voice "... I told you! I would hit the darn thing." Just then a blonde man wearing a cape appeared from the bushes. "Ha! See you my…" he turned and trailed off when he noticed the duo… And yelled in terror upon seeing the knight. "AAHH! YOU!" He yelled.
"WELT? WHAT WRONG?!" Said another yet familiar voice; out from the bushes came a black-haired young man with leather armor and a green cape. And what sticks out is the shield. "Oersted? He said upon the Sword Hero, who responded with surprise. "Naofumi?" he replied.
The Knight smiled and patted the Shield-bearer on the back. "I didn't think I'd see you out here," he said as he laughed. "I could say the same," Naoffumi replied with a chuckle, brushing a hand through his hair. "What brings you to these woods?"
The two heroes exchanged stories before Naofumi noticed Mein. "Oh, it is you! Um… Medea?" He said trying to remember the red-haired name. She just sighed. "Is Mein, Sir Hero." She said in a tired tone.
Welt raised an eyebrow to see her state. "geez what in Matron's Teats, happened to you?" he said, indeed Naofumi was shocked when he noticed the woman's state:
The dress skirt was ripped, she was oddly wearing Dragon Quest Leather armor, her makeup ruined and her mouth was constantly open… She looked like she went through three marathons in a row.
While Oersted looked kinda better, still, his boots were all covered in mud and his armor was marred with scratches and dents, evidence of their arduous journey
Suddenly, Mein grabs Naofumi by the collar, her frustration palpable. "WE… BEEN… IN… THAT… FOREST. FOR. THREE. DAYS!" she bellowed, her voice echoing through the clearing.
"Hey, are you two al—" A new voice interrupted, belonging to a green-haired woman who emerged from the bushes and gasped upon seeing the knight. The Shield hero The Shield hero quickly calmed her down. Oersted then turned to Naofumi. "So, Naofumi, who are these two?" He asked; everyone was dumbstruck by his statement.
Welt jaw drop. "Ah? Are You Serious?" Asked the baffled rogue, the knight just tilted his head in confusion. This caused the martial artist and rogue to yell at him. "F*"#ker YOU NEARLY KILLED US" They yelled,
The Knight just stared blankly. "Really? When?" Causing everyone to fall over by the knight's ignorance, Mein got up and informed him. "Um… Sir Oersted, these two were part of that group that wanted to join you but threatened to cut off their heads if they didn't join with the Shield, remember?" she said.
At that moment, a realization washed over the Knight. "Oh Right! Sorry, I forgot about you four, ah ah ha," he said with a chuckle. The duo shot him narrowed glances filled with annoyance, while Mein simply facepalmed in exasperation.
Naofumi stepped in to calm his companions down. Then, she decided to invite the duo to their camp for lunch; while Oersted kindly declined, Mein accepted, and as she did, the Knight's gaze lingered on her… until a loud rumble from his stomach broke the moment…
Meanwhile, Ferrari and Bakta were resting when Naofumi, Teresa, and Welt arrived. They were taken aback upon seeing Mein and… "YOU" They exclaimed as they leaped in surprise at the sight of the Knight, who merely waved at them with a casual grin.
The shield's companions all glared at the knight. "What? Hey, it wasn't my fault your four wouldn't follow my order," he nonchalantly said. Welt gripped his blade but was stopped by Naofumi, who reminded all allies.
The Groups all settled down together, and Mein was taken aback to discover that the Shield Hero was the one cooking. Teresa expanded while they alternated; Naofumi usually cooks. As he served the food, she took a bite and found it quite delicious. "Mmmh, not bad, I must say, you better chef, that this walking disaster!" She yelled as she pointed at the Sword Hero, who ignored her.
They spent the afternoon sharing stories of their adventures over the past three days, the Naofumi Party telling how they fought a bandit group, captured them, and then saved a group of miners from a pack of wave monsters, including what the hero called sub-boss.
Mein just glared at the knight and told them they had been just leveling up, and the only interesting thing was they were saving a group of 'Demis', which confused Naofumi. "Demis?" he asked. Mein and his party all wilded.
"It seems there is a race of human-like beings with animal traits in this world called Demi-Humans." Oersted expanded, and Naofumi just blinked "Huh… neat," he said. Everyone, including the knight, turned the Shield hero. "What do you mean Neat?" They asked.
Naofumi just shrugs, "Where I'm from, non-human species are common in fantasy And I don't want to insult you guys, but this world is basically a fantasy world." He expands, which shocks the natives… minus Teresa who informs them that is normal for Cardial heroes to compare the world to stories from their worlds
While they were discussing Oersted just stared at them… this reminds him… of his last 'party':
Music: Live a Live - On Broken Wings Reminiscence
"AAAAH" Uranus used the Voice of God upon the dragon-like creature, causing it to crash to the ground. However, the vile demon lunged fiercely at the Monk. At that moment, Oersted stepped in front of his companion. The demon retaliated with a devastating breath attack that melted Axion Sword. Yet, in a moment, the knight plunged the molten blade deep into the beast's head, ending the demon before them; a few moments later, the beast suddenly dissolved into smoke, dropping the remains of the sword with a thud.
Oersted fell to his knees, panting heavily; Uranus gently placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and began to pray. As the priest spoke, a warm, golden light enveloped them. Oersted hardly believed as he saw four angels of the Lord, descending from the heavens. They hovered for a moment, bestowing their blessings upon him before vanishing into the light.
At that moment, the knight felt his body rejuvenated; he rose, amazed by this mirage and the Monk chuckled softly… Before nearly collapsing from exhaustion, Oersted assisted the exhausted man down to the ground, ensuring he could rest. "Thanketh you, my friend," the Monk thanked the youngster, a smile on his face.
Oersted glanced over to see Hasshe aiding Streibough to his feet… only for the mage to protest. "I was perfectly capable of standing up by myself," he declared, but the older man remained silent, merely giving a flat expression. Before the group was instructed to rest, the mage attempted to object… only to almost topple over, breathing heavily.
"Yeah, is bett'r that we rest first" Hassle said, causing Streibough nodding begrudgingly. Oersted turns to the melted Axion and sighs; he pulls out a Defender sword that one of the residents of Castle Town gifted him. Isn't much…
Oersted rests against one of the ancient, weathered stone walls; his gaze falls upon Hasshe, who kneels amidst the dust and debris until he grabs a sword from the ground. "Hmmm, the Sword of Marvels," Hasshe mused, suddenly the young knight rushed towards the older warrior and seized the blade, much to his astonishment.
Oersted gazed upon the so-called 'Sword of Marvels'. It was an elegant silver blade that gleamed with a polished finish, its blade elegantly adorned with ancient mystical engravings. And the hilt was made from exquisite gold, and curves gracefully in one's grasp.
However, he quickly snapped out of his daze and turned to see Hasshe and Uranus giving him curious looks while Streibough was on the verge of bursting into laughter, which caused the knight to blush.
The monk chuckled softly. "Thee seemeth to be fond of swords," he remarked, prompting the knight to avert his gaze in embarrassment. "Yeah, I have had a fascination with swords since i wast little…" he admitted, but before he could say more, the mage laughed.. "That isn't the only reason" he teased, causing the knight's eyes to widen as he tried to hush his friend. Hasshe and Uranus turned their attention to the mage, intrigued.
"Ahaha, Oersted here always looks up to you two! In fact, that he becameth a knight solely because of his admiration for you!" Streibough revealed, causing the older men to turn their attention back to the knight.
The knight hesitated, before speaking. "Well… aye, I always… dream'd of becoming a hero liketh thee two." he stumbled over his words. "I dream'd of fighting alongside thee both…" he confessed, a wave of nervousness flooding through him.
Hasshe averted his gaze and spoke without looking back, his voice steady. "Thee seeth only for the glory, young one. Your Heroism is not m'rely a glorious game played for accolades and songs. At which hour thou art nay longer needed, those will consider thee a burden." His words hung in the air. But at that moment, Oersted interjected, "Well… I bethink a Hero is more about fame and glory, sure some people art selfish and uncaring, but that's wherefore we shouldst inspire and uplift them" He spoke with conviction. The old warrior remained silent, yet he found himself appreciating the younger man's perspective.
However Streibough merely looked away, lost in his own thoughts…
"Oersted?"
He snapped out of his stupor and saw everyone with worried faces… minus Mein. "Oh you, say something?" He said with a nervous smile, Uneasy Naofumi stared at him. "You Zoned out," He said in a worried tone.
Oersted tried to assure him. "Fret not, Naofumi, I assureth thee there's nay needeth worry," he said again in that odd tone, which only drew puzzled looks from Naofumi's party, who exchanged glances; suddenly Mein spoke. "Ok, what's with the accent?" She asked.
The Knight stared at her blankly; Naofumi interjected, "I think it is Old English he was speaking," he said, causing the knight to blush. "OOH, sorry! It's a bit of a habit of mine, when I get a bit too emotional, sometimes," He said, but Naofumi assured him, "Is ok… But I am impressed that you can speak fluent Japanese," he said… Confusing everyone in the camp.
"… What are you talking about? I been speaking Modern English since I got here." Oersted spoke, which bewildered the younger hero. "… what?" he said. The two their companions for answers
The companions exchanged glances before Farrie spoke. "You two have been speaking the Common Tongue, " He said, bewildering the two outworlder heroes. "Huh?" When suddenly they both received a notification;
Language Comprehension:
(Cardinal Weapons automatically translate foreign languages to your native language and vice versa.)
(WARNING: Written text can't be translated; you must learn any language yourself.)
"Well… That expands it… Oersted?" Naofumi turned to see the knight… twitching his eye. Even Mein was even unnerved. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and stepped away from the group…
"Fotze!"
"지랄!"
"Гавно!"
And began cursing out storm, Naofumi could barely comprehend what the knight was saying, , although it seems cursing with every language in hear to Earth
"MAMACACA!"
"fututus et mori in igni!"
"Scruffy nerfherder!"
"Gonk!"
"Deculture! This world is stupid!"
…Including those from dead languages and possibly of the future. However, Naofumi realized through the man's outburst that the translator might not function properly if the user speaks a different language.…
After a moment, the knight finally calmed himself, and he turned towards the others. "hehe, sorry about, um, I'm going for a walk," he said sheepishly before leaving. The group exchanged puzzled glances. "OK, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM. " Mein shouted. Naofumi quickly tries to calm her down before noticing something amiss… someone.
"Hey where's Bekta?"...
The Knight rubbed his temples as walk. He is getting tired of these surprises, he really needs to have a serious conversation with the priest who had summoned them. When he arrived at a clearing, he paused and turned around. "You know, it's quite rude to follow people," he remarked, causing Bekta, who had been hiding behind a nearby tree, to widen his eyes in surprise.
"I didn't mean to scare you," the older man said, raising his hands while slowly approaching the knight, who just chuckled at the man. "Hehehe, Cut the c#€p," he snapped.
Bakta narrowed his eyes. "Look, I don't know what your trouble is, but I just talk," he said with the tone of a strict parent; the Knight glared at the larger man.
"I don't want your–" Oersted said before turning away, but Bakta asked a question. "what happened?" This caused the knight's eyes to widen. The Hunter gave a sincere look "Look I don't know the full picture, but I do understa–"
"DON'T YOU F# SAY IT"
Bakta widened upon the knight's outburst, After a short while, he just rolled his eyes. "Kid… you have issues," he said.
Oersted was about to speak… when he noticed something, Bakta asked what was wrong, but he raised his hand….
Before unsheathing his blade and casting [Wave Slash], he launched a crescent airwave at one of the trees behind Bakta, cutting the upper part of the tree… and causing a shadowy figure to leap gracefully and land nearby.
Bakta turned to face the figure, who wore a grey robe and a striking white domino mask, and judging by their feminine features, both men concluded that the mysterious individual was female.
The knight just chuckled. "A Kunoichi aka shinobi," he remarked. Bakta turned to him, puzzled. "Shinobi?"
Oersted quickly explained. "Shinobis were individuals who specialized in unconventional warfare such as infiltration, sabotage, and assassination during the age of the samurai," he said before adding. "While she may not be Japanese, she certainly using their techniques… albeit poorly," he concluded.
The woman didn't speak at first, she let out a soft chuckle. "I must say, I misjudged you, Sir Hero," she remarked, surprising both of them surprised she knew who Oersted was. He glanced at Bakta and noticed he seemed to know this person was.
Before he could ask, a loud explosion at the forest is heard, where... "Naofumi!" Oersted shouted, alarmed. Suddenly, three more Robbed figures emerged, hurling knives toward them. The knight swiftly cast his |Wave Slash| spell, deflecting the knives and striking one of the robed individuals. However, the assailant managed to pull out a short sword just in time to block the wind attack. The three landed near their colleague .
Bakta and Oersted stared at the robed figures who clearly were assassins. The Knight turned to the larger man beside him and declared, "I'll handle them. You go to assist the others." The man turned to the youngest "HUH?"
"MEIN IS RELENTED WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY; THEY ARE CLEARLY AFTER HER," Oersted shouted, before charging toward the four assassins.
Music: Star Ocean the Second Story R - Stab the Sword of Justice
The lead assassin lunged, dagger poised to strike, but Oersted deftly dodged the attack and countered with a headbutt. The assassin staggered, struggling to regain her balance. The second assassin aimed a sword at the knight, but he parried the blow and, with swift precision, delivered a sharp kick to her leg. She screams as he grabs her and hurls her toward the third assassin.
The fourth assassin leaped away, but Oersted was already in motion. He switched to his [Ochu Sword], extending the blade. In one fluid motion, he lashed out, ensnaring her leg and sending her crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. The second and third assassins regained their footing, drew their swords, and launched a coordinated attack against Oersted. He parried their blows, positioning himself strategically between the two.
He swapped for the [Sword of Marvels], he struck one of the assassins with the blunt side of the sword, knocking the wind out of her. The other assassin attempted to strike from behind, but he blocked the attack and retaliated with a powerful kick to her face.
Suddenly, the fourth assassin charged at him, aiming her short sword at the knight's sword arm. Oersted went to block, but she swiftly struck at his leg. He groaned in pain but leaped toward the assassin, shouting |Crushing Blow|. He delivered a mighty overhead strike with the blunt side of his sword, slamming the woman to the ground. But the assassin he had previously knocked the air out attempted to strike him from behind. He managed to block her attack, locking swords with her momentarily. In that split second, he noticed the first assassin preparing a fire spell.
Reacting quickly, he headbutted his opponent and delivered a spinning kick to her head just as the first assassin unleashed a massive fireball. Oersted swiftly slid out of the way, allowing the spell to crash into the trees behind him.
He quickly accessed his menu and retrieved a potion. The assassins tried to stop him by casting more smaller fireballs, but he parried through their spells while drinking the potion, finding the taste a bit bitter, but grateful as it healed his injured legs.
Suddenly, three assassins leaped toward him. Oersted smirked, channeling his mana. He begins to glow a vivid green before shouting |Thousand Cuts| and spins with his sword he conjures a whirlwind of slashes that sliced through the air. His attackers all cried in pain as they fell.
The Lead assassin trembles as she, the hero, stands over her colleagues, she reels back as he starts to approach her…
Suddenly, Oersted was struck by a thunder spell. Falling to one knee, the assassins turned as a presence appeared behind the knight. He quickly leaped away as the unknown figure swung a blade at him.
It turned to see a 5th robed figure; unlike the others, this one was wearing a white robe with gold accents, she wore a white Bauta mask. They glanced at each other, and the Bauta Assassin spoke, "... this was not supposed to happen," they said in a feminine and sad tone. "You just parted ways with the Devil that…" she continued, confusing the hero. "Devil?" he thought, before noticing her hands were folded across the chest, and The two index fingers touched each other and pointed upwards. "this would have happened," she finished…
Suddenly, a rope ensnared Oersted's neck as he turned to face the first assassin, who was holding the whip. He quickly cut the rope, but then noticed that the Bauta Assassin was surrounded by three magic circles.
From these circles, strange beings emerged - blazing creatures with small hands, large eyes, and sharp teeth. Oersted was momentarily bewildered by the sight, and before he could react, one of the 'fireballs' darted toward him, slicing it which triggered a powerful explosion.
The blast threw him to the ground, and before he had a chance to recover, the remaining two creatures surged toward him, resulting in another devastating explosion.
As the smoke cleared, the assassins saw the sword hero sprawled on the ground. The first assassin gasped in horror. "SISTER! ARE YOU INSANE?!" she exclaimed as she rushed to check his pulse. The Bauta Assassin calmly faced her sister, offering reassurance. "Don't worry, he's still alive," she said in a steady tone.
One of the sword-wielding assassins winced in pain as her sister concentrated on healing her wounds. "What about the others?" she asked. The Bauta Assassin explained that both 'Baaj' and 'Remiem' were fine. "Right now, we need to assist them in dealing with the Shield Devil," she concluded.
Music: Kingdom Hearts - Disappeared
Unbeknownst to them, the Sword Hero was still conscious. "Shield… Devil " his thoughts raced, confusion swirling as he pondered why…
Why? Shield Devil? Are they referring to…
Naofumi?
As a D̴̳̈͒Ẽ̸̫̖̅V̸̛̺̥̄I̵͉̓̿L̵͖̂̌!
Oersted felt a familiar power dormant within him… awaking and surging through him. The 1st Assassin turned, shocked to see that the Sword Hero had awakened. she screamed in alarm. In a swift motion, Oersted grabbed her and a motion to slice her throat
The others turned, horrified at the sight of their sister, but the Bauta Assassin fixated on the Hero, her heart pounding as she saw the man's glare... His eyes with a burned hatred emanating from them.
Wordless, the knight grasped an assassin by the head, pressing his sword against her neck. Blood began to drip onto the jewel embedded in the hilt, which absorbed it, transforming the blade into a striking all-red cruciform sword: [Blood Sword]
Special equip effect - Blood Drain
- Any Blood draw by the sword, It absorbs and converted into HP for the user -
Equip bonus: MP UP Locked
Then the Knight slams the downed Assassin onto the ground, before standing up and pointing the crimson blade facing the group Assassins, a wicked grin stretching across his face. "You didn't want to kill anybody... I really didn't," he said, laughing. "But oh well, all you forced my hand."
He shifted into his battle stance, his eyes glinting. "I hope you're all ready to say YOUR PRAYERS!"
Notes:
- I want to establish and develop these Flashbacks, Oersted's character during the medieval chapter: While he was a naïve and gullible glory seeker who aspires to be a hero and relies on others for self-validation, simpler to Motoyasu and Itsuki. However, he is also a caring and idealistic knight who deeply values his friends and his kingdom, genuinely wants to help others. His is basically a more chivalrous version of the Cardinal Heroes including Naofumi.
Who would easily become like Oersted/Odio if he didn't have Raphtalia and/or Filo…
For Square Enix references
- The Two the cat demihuman: are Cyuss Warren and Pericci are from Star Ocean
- Ochu, 'the explosive fireballs' (Bomb) and the Blood Sword are from Final Fantasy
—
Next Time… things are going to be tense.