[Riyute Village]
After several hours in the mine extracting different minerals and some monsters from the mine, Ichigo now finds himself in front of the Merchant to whom he owed and was giving as payment for the Three Claws potions, five Fangs of the Two-Headed Black Dog monster and a small piece of the Light Metal ore. "With this we are even, right?" Ichigo asks as he hands the bag to the merchant, who accepts it and opens the bag seeing the things inside. The merchant nods while saying "Yes, with this everything is paid for, come back soon." Ichigo nods and heads off in the direction where he had left Naofumi and Raphtalia, who didn't wait for him and continued walking. Ichigo decides to run to catch up with them while shouting "HEY! GUYS WAIT FOR ME!" Naofumi saw him out of the corner of his eye, narrowed his eyes, and continued walking. Raphtalia followed Naofumi with her head down, but at a steady pace. When Ichigo got close enough, she was still behind Naofumi and Raphtalia. "Come on, Naofumi. I already apologized for not telling you the whole truth about me, but you must understand."
"Understand what!?" Naofumi exclaimed, looking Ichigo angrily in the eyes. "Have you shown me again that the people of this world can't be trusted!?" Naofumi leaned closer to Ichigo and saw him close to his face, so close that Ichigo felt Naofumi's breath. "Naofumi, I know I shouldn't have hidden my title of hero from you, but after what happened in Melromarc, I didn't want you to think I joined you to betray you," Ichigo explained, moving away from Naofumi a little.
[Flashback - Inside the Riyute Mine]
Under Ichigo's guidance through the mine, Naofumi asked to find other ores derived from Light Metal, one of them a bright purple mineral that emitted a faint purple glow. "What would this ore be used for again?" Naofumi asks, holding a fragment of the mineral in his left hand. "Oof, Naofumi, I already told you, that mineral is known as Mana Flow Ore. It's used by magicians, blacksmiths, and alchemists to make magical weapons and instruments that help them analyze magical energy," Ichigo explains as he puts some of the mineral in a pouch and ties it to his waist. "It's quite rare to find a vein as large as this, so be thankful, Naofumi," Ichigo says, head high and smiling, but it was obvious he was just joking.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Naofumi says as his shield absorbs the mineral and unlocks a new one. Ichigo approaches. "So, Naofumi-sama~, what kind of shield do I unlock?" Ichigo asks, close to Naofumi's ear.
Naofumi shuddered in response and cheered while rubbing his ear with a slight blush and a scared face "Don't do that again!!" Naofumi exclaims still cheering "Okay, okay, I won't do that again Naofumi, but answer what kind of shield you unlocked" Ichigo says raising his hands with a small smile.
Naofumi squints at Ichigo as he enters the interface of the unlocked shield system, he sees that below the image of a gem but wrapped with eight-pointed lines representing the aura of mana, Naofumi selects that shield while saying "Mana Shield", a seal forms over the shield gem before the shield glows green, when it dissipates a new appearance of the shield is revealed, This shield takes on a perfect circular shape, with a smooth and shiny metallic finish. Its surface is decorated with luminous veins that run along the outline in a deep purple hue, pulsing with latent magical energy. The matrix gem embedded in the center of the shield glows amber.
Unlocked by absorbing Mana Conductor Ore.
equip bonus: Magic Boost 1
special equip effect: Mana Resonance (small)
"According to the system, this shield's ability boosts my magic and grants me an ability called Mana Resonance," Naofumi reports as he looks at his new shield. "Mana Resonance?" Raphtalia asks, holding another shard of the Mana Conductor mineral, "According to this, Mana Resonance allows the shield to act as a channel for magical energy, reacting to the presence of nearby spells or magical sources. Although it's only a "small" version, its benefits are quite noticeable once you learn magic."
Special Equipment Effect: Mana Resonance (Small)
Description:
Mana Resonance allows the shield to act as a channel for magical energy, reacting to the presence of nearby spells or magical sources. Although this is a "small" version, its benefits are notable for magic-dependent adventurers.
Active Effects:
Slightly increases the efficiency of nearby allied spells (+5%).
Can absorb small amounts of ambient mana, slowly restoring the wearer's mana.
Improves synchronization with magical items or wands used by the wearer, allowing faster activation times for magical abilities.
"That's fantastic, Naofumi," Ichigo says, looking at the shield. "If it works for channeling magical energy, that means you won't need a catalyst anymore. That leaves only Raphtalia who would need a catalyst. And honestly, those aren't very cheap, but we could ask a blacksmith to make a custom one." Ichigo continues, explaining the benefits of that ability.
"Catalyst?" Naofumi asks, closing his eyes and remembering what he read in his Light Novels. "You mean those items that allow people to perform magic?"
"Hai, they're quite expensive to get," Ichigo says, thinking, "I think the cheapest one you can get at a thrift store costs around five gold coins."
"F-Five...?!" Raphtalia asks, surprised at the cost. "Yes, it costs five, but a completely new one would cost between fifteen and twenty coins, I think." That left Naofumi and Raphtalia in shock. "That's why it's cheaper to have a custom one made, since the person is the one who must give the materials to the blacksmith or alchemist. That would cost at least 3 gold coins in total."
The price, although lower, is still too high for Naofumi, and that made him frown at the seal. But before Naofumi could say anything, an animal growl came from the darkness behind them. The three of them turned around, and both Raphtalia and Ichigo pointed their torches into the darkness.
From the shadows, what can be seen are creatures whose bodies are covered in jet-black, thick, and matted fur. The creature has a ferocious appearance despite its relatively small size—about the size of a large wolf in the real world. Its body is slender but muscular, adapted for running and attacking in swift ambushes. Its head resembles that of a Rottweiler; its head is elongated, with a snout full of sharp fangs. Its eyes, a faint crimson red, glow in the dark, and its ears are always erect, picking up any suspicious sounds. Along its back, small bony protrusions can be seen that vibrate slightly when the monster is agitated, emitting a buzzing sound that serves as a warning signal to members of the pack. Its claws are sharp, which at first glance are clear not as durable as those of the Two-Headed Dog, to whom it bears a strong resemblance.
"What the hell are those things?" Naofumi asks, changing his shield to the Light Metal Shield, and Raphtalia draws her sword ready for battle. "From their appearance, they must be descendants of the previous monster we killed." Ichigo says, leaving both torches hanging on a wall while he takes his Flail and lets the ball fall to the floor.
"D-descendants...?" Raphtalia asks somewhat nervously, since she had just faced the Two-Headed Black Dog and now it turns out he has children. Some guilt begins to simmer in her heart. "They are not his children if you are starting to believe that," Ichigo explains as he begins to swing his weapon. "When the Wave Monsters first appeared, aside from the main monsters, there were also lower-ranking monsters. These must be some of those monsters," Ichigo finishes explaining.
At this information, Raphtalia calmed down a bit, just in time when the monsters begin to attack.
The creatures, moving with surprising agility, lunged at them. Their sharp claws gleamed in the dim torchlight. Naofumi, reacting instinctively, stepped between Raphtalia and the first monster, raising his Light Metal Shield . The impact was heavy, causing Naofumi to stagger slightly, but the shield held its own.
"Raphtalia, Ichigo, focus on those glowing spots!" Naofumi shouted, pointing at the beasts' crimson eyes. "They're their weak spot."
Raphtalia, though still a little nervous, gritted her teeth. "Understood, Naofumi-sama!" she exclaimed, lunging with her short sword. Her blade met the tough hide of one of the creatures, but the blow was shallow. Raphtalia, a ten-year-old girl just learning to wield a sword, needed more strength, more precision.
Ichigo, meanwhile, was already in action. He swung his obsidian flail with astonishing dexterity. The spiked ball shot out, connected to his arm by the chain that seemed to extend and retract at will. With a precise blow, he crushed the head of one of the creatures, which fell limp to the ground. "One down!" he roared with a savage grin.
"Don't get too confident!" Naofumi warned. Another of the beasts tried to flank Raphtalia, but Naofumi used his Air Shield ability to block it, creating a green energy barrier just in time. The creature bounced off the invisible shield, giving Raphtalia time to react.
"Got you!" Raphtalia exclaimed, seizing her opportunity. She spun around, channeling what little experience she'd gained, and drove her sword straight into one of the beast's red eyes . The creature howled in pain, writhing before collapsing.
The other creatures, seeing their companions fall, seemed to hesitate for a moment. It was just enough time for Ichigo to swing his flail again, this time trapping two of them in the same chain. He yanked them hard, bringing them close together, and with a final blow, slammed them against each other, knocking them out.
As the last creature fell, silence returned to the mine, broken only by their labored breathing. Naofumi, who had been monitoring their condition, realized something. "Ichigo, why aren't you appearing in my status as a partner?"
Ichigo blinked. "Oh, it's just... I'm not officially in your group. I thought you'd understand."
Naofumi sighed. "If you're not in my party, we can't share the experience. There's no point in fighting like this." Naofumi opened his menu and sent a party request. "I'll send you a request."
Ichigo nodded, a little embarrassed. He accepted the request, and the moment he joined the group, Naofumi saw something surprising about his condition. Next to Ichigo's name, a flail symbol appeared. Naofumi accessed Ichigo's stats and saw that he held the title of Hero of the Flail .
"Hero of the Flail?" Naofumi narrowed his eyes, distrust returning to his voice. "How is that possible? That shitty king said you could only summon four heroes at a time."
Ichigo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You see, Naofumi, it's a little more complicated. Yes, I'm a hero like you and the other three. But unlike you, I don't have a cardinal weapon. What I do have is a vassal weapon . This flail is a vassal weapon."
To demonstrate, Ichigo changed his flail, and it returned to its default form:
The main ball on the head was predominantly a light gold hue, with a finish suggesting polished metal. Protruding from this golden sphere were numerous sharp spikes or cones, which were white or very light gray, almost silvery. The combination of the gold of the sphere and the white/silver of the spikes created a striking and dangerous contrast.
A metal chain, made of thick, dark links, connected the head to the handle. It was long enough to allow the weapon to swing freely.
The hilt was primarily a light gold hue, especially the gripped section. Some sections of the hilt, probably details or secondary parts, were white or very light gray, almost silvery, harmonizing with the flail's ball tips. At the base of the hilt, and serving as a distinctive ornament, was an inlaid pale pink gem. This gem was set in a metal base that was also gold-toned, enhancing its presence and lending the weapon a touch of elegance or mysticism.
"This is its beginner form, or Flail for Beginners ," Ichigo explained. "Vassal weapons are like support weapons for the Waves of Calamity. They aren't as powerful as the Cardinals on their own, but they have special functions that help us Cardinal Heroes fight against the Waves. We're meant to support you, close the gaps you can't, and sometimes lead the defense in secondary areas. They're summoned at different times, not always alongside the Cardinals."
Naofumi's face hardened. Another deception. More secrets. This time, it wasn't just the kingdom that had lied to him, but also someone who had presented themselves as an ally. The idea that there were "other heroes" operating in the shadows, and that he, the Shield Hero, was supposed to be "supported" by them, made his stomach turn.
Naofumi turned sharply. "Raphtalia, we're leaving," he said sharply.
Raphtalia, noticing the tension in the air and Naofumi's expression, just nodded and started following him.
Ichigo, who was about to follow them, stopped dead in his tracks. A notification appeared in his field of vision: Naofumi Iwatani has kicked you from the group.
[End of Flashback]
Ichigo ran, finally catching up to Naofumi and Raphtalia, who continued on their way, ignoring him. "Naofumi, please give me one last chance!" Ichigo begged, panting slightly. "I swear I'll be your ally! I won't betray you!"
Naofumi stopped abruptly, turning to face Ichigo with an icy glare. "Ally! Don't make me laugh!" he snapped. "Everyone who's ever gotten close to me has only betrayed me. There's no reason for you to be any different, Hero !" The last word was spoken with sarcasm laced with resentment.
"But Naofumi, I'm not like them," Ichigo insisted, taking a step forward. "My goal isn't glory or money. I want to fight the Waves. And I know you're the only one who truly cares about protecting people, not like those other idiots."
Naofumi snorted. "Fine words. And how am I supposed to believe them? With a promise? I've been told that story before." His gaze lingered on Raphtalia's slave collar. "There's only one way I'll believe you, Ichigo. Become my slave."
Raphtalia flinched slightly at that, a chill running down her spine. She knew how painful the slave brand could be.
Ichigo was silent for a moment, his blue eyes fixed on Naofumi. Then, he nodded firmly. "I would. If it would give you peace of mind, I would do it without hesitation. But there's one problem, Naofumi." He paused. "Cardinal Heroes and Vassal Heroes are immune to Slave Crests. It's because of our weapons. The Cardinal and Vassal Weapons protect us from any form of outside control, including slavery."
Naofumi frowned. That was something he hadn't heard or read in any of the Light Novels he knew. He quickly opened his Status and searched for the Shield Guide , navigating to the "Heroes and Weapons" section. He scrolled through the information, and his eyes stopped on a small, almost hidden paragraph at the bottom that confirmed what Ichigo had said:
Hero Restrictions: Immunity to External Control. Wielders of Cardinal Weapons and Vassal Weapons possess an inherent immunity to all forms of external control, including enslavement charms, brainwashing, or any type of magical or physical manipulation that seeks to subjugate their will. This protection is intrinsically linked to the very nature of the weapon and is unbreakable.
Naofumi cursed under his breath. It was true. He couldn't force him. Anger and frustration built up inside him. So if he couldn't force him, how could he trust?
Ichigo watched Naofumi's reaction, noticing his growing frustration. He knew words alone wouldn't be enough. "Naofumi," he said in a serious voice, catching the Shield Hero's attention. "I understand your distrust. And you have every right to feel it. But there is one way I can show you that you can trust me, at least enough for you to consider my loyalty."
Naofumi looked at him skeptically. "Oh, really? And what's that form, 'Hero of the Flail'?"
Ichigo extended his hand and his flail , already attached to his waist in its default form , materialized in his grasp. The main ball of the head was predominantly a light golden hue, with a finish that suggested polished metal. Protruding from this golden sphere were numerous sharp spikes or cones, which were white or very light grey, almost silver in color. The combination of the gold of the sphere and the white/silver of the spikes created a striking and dangerous contrast. A metallic chain , of thick, dark links, connected the head to the handle. It was long enough to allow for a wide swing of the weapon. The handle was primarily a light golden hue, especially the section that was gripped. Some sections of the handle, likely details or secondary parts, were a white or very light grey, almost silver in color, harmonizing with the tips of the flail's ball. At the base of the handle, and serving as a distinctive ornament, was an inlaid pale pink gem . This gem was set in a metal base that was also gold-toned, which enhanced its presence and gave the weapon a touch of elegance or mysticism.
Ichigo held the Beginner's Flail in front of Naofumi. "This is the most basic form of my vassal weapon, Naofumi," he explained, his voice calm and steady, not a hint of remorse on his face. "It has no bonuses, no special effects. It's the equivalent of wielding a rock tied to a stick. And from this moment on, I will only use this form of my weapon." He added, his gaze fixed on Naofumi. "I will not use my abilities, nor the most powerful transformations my flail grants me, unless your life or Raphtalia's life is in imminent danger, or if you command me to do so yourself. I will only attack with the base strength of this weapon. I will gain no additional experience from the effects of my weapon. I will let you and Raphtalia take all the glory and progress. I will do everything you say, follow your orders without question, and protect you with what I have. I will prove my loyalty with actions, not words. If that doesn't convince you, then I will accept whatever punishment you decide to impose on me."
Raphtalia looked at Ichigo's flail, then at Naofumi. The sincerity in Ichigo's voice was undeniable, and the action he'd just taken was a palpable demonstration of his commitment. Giving up the strength of his weapon, his ability to progress quickly, just to gain Naofumi's trust was an enormous sacrifice for any adventurer.
Naofumi, for his part, stared at Ichigo's flail, then back at his eyes. The offer was… unexpected. And radical. It meant Ichigo was tying his own hands, willingly becoming weaker than he actually was. For a "Hero," that was almost unthinkable. The Shield Hero crossed his arms, his expression still hard, but a small seed of doubt began to plant itself in his mind. It was a way of showing confidence he hadn't anticipated. One that couldn't be faked with empty words or magical trickery.
TO BE CONTINUED