by Aneko Yusagi
“You mentioned being able to add powerful effects to skills and attacks, right?” Ren recalled.
“You don’t have any game wisdom to share?” I prodded. Ren tilted his head and thought for a moment, then replied.
“There are accessories that can increase certain skills or abilities when equipped, so . . . I guess I do.” Yeah, good point. I’d experienced some things like that myself. Games had things like that quite often, although it could hardly be called much of a new discovery.
“Anyway, equipping accessories can enhance skills or provide unique ones. Accessories are developed by discussing them with me, a therianthrope called Imiya in the village, and the alchemist Rat. You guys can help us start looking into all that,” I said.
“If that’s what you want,” Ren said. His strangely detached reply was a bit like Itsuki, which I didn’t need more of, but it was better than him launching into another rampage.
Anyway, the plan was the re-creation of the scabbard that Raphtalia had used in Kizuna’s world—to get as close to that as possible. The accessory dealer had also reported that work was advancing on the mass production of a prototype of an accessory that allowed drop items to be obtained from monsters, just like a hero, via use of a dragon hourglass. There were lots of orders for those already.
We’d use those as funds for our forces, creating a foundation to further enhance our strength.
All the heroes were now aware of the item creation, and so this looked to have been a pretty productive gathering. Nothing like the train wrecks of the past.
“The only other thing to do is raise our levels as much as possible,” I concluded. Ren raised his hand and commented on that.
“I personally feel that Q’ten Lo is the best for efficient experience gains.”
“Hmmm,” I pondered. He had a point. Experience acquisition in Q’ten Lo, which was the homeland of Raphtalia’s parents, had been mysteriously efficient.
“About that . . .” Itsuki also raised his hand, almost looking apologetic. “Rishia said that, since you grew those sakura-like trees in the village, the monsters lurking nearby have also seen an increase in experience.”
“What?” First I was hearing of this. Some kind of secondary effect? No, but the sakura lumina trees came originally from Q’ten Lo. Maybe they had the effect of boosting experience.
“Searching for better hunting grounds . . . Sadeena did mention that the sea regions do give good experience,” Ren said, his voice shaking a little. He couldn’t swim, although apparently he’d made some progress with that.
Getting Sadeena and Shildina to show us the best oceanic spots might make a good hunting trip too. In terms of underwater gear, we did have that Pekkul Costume . . . but there was only one left after all that other stuff went down.
“All we have to do is keep on training until the day of the battle. That’s our role here,” I said. All sorts of stuff had happened since I was summoned to this other world, but that simple truth remained unbreakable. There weren’t many days left until the Phoenix would revive, but that didn’t change what we had to do.
“We also need to select the allies to fight with us against the Phoenix. Do you have any picks in mind, Naofumi?” Ren asked.
“Anyone who wants to try it, I’m going to let them—aside from the ones who clearly wouldn’t stand a chance, of course,” I replied.
“I see. You’ve got some pretty tough allies on your side, what with Raphtalia, Rishia, and Sadeena, to name but a few,” Ren commented. Indeed, those were some of the strongest in the village. Raphtalia in particular was a key combatant, taking the fight to our foes in my place.
“You’re going to take Atla too, then?” Ren asked.
“Huh?” What was this? Ren asking about Atla by name? “Why her in particular? I mean, sure, she’s strong,” I asked. She trained with me and Raphtalia, as well as fighting some pretty blazing battles with Raphtalia every night.
“If I’m honest, I think Atla is the one from the village who’s made the most progress,” Ren admitted.
“I agree,” Itsuki offered with a nod.
“I thought it would be going too far to attack her at full strength with a powerful hero weapon, so I hold back against her. But on a technical level she overtook me real quick. That’s how good she is. She’s a genius, really,” Ren explained. He was right. Atla was developing quickly. She’d started off with some skills, and different from the richly experienced Sadeena, but Atla had the ability to learn stuff just by seeing it—even though she couldn’t see.
There had been more times recently when, even backed by the Raph species, Raphtalia hadn’t been able to contain her. That had to be due to the defensive life force that S’yne had taught her.
Atla and I, with help from S’yne, had both learned defensive life force. Having Raphtalia focusing on the mastery of the techniques she acquired in Q’ten Lo was keeping her behind in terms of other progress.
The techniques had names, and I took a moment to recall them.
First there was Gather.
This was a technique that could use the power of life force to bend the trajectory of magical attacks, such as fire magic, and draw them to the user. Useful when bearing the brunt of a magical onslaught. The range had a diameter of about ten feet. Of course, that could be extended further with further deployment of life force.
Next was Wall.
This allowed an invisible wall to be created in the air for a few seconds, impeding the movements of opponents. It was a bit like using Air Strike Shield. It could stop normal attacks and magic attacks too. The strengths of this technique were its versatility and being able to cover a pretty wide area if you wanted. The weaknesses were the actual defensive power it offered and the length of time it lasted.
Finally there was Bead.
This was a counterattack. It allowed magical attacks to be collected together using life force, concentrated, and then thrown at the enemy. Of course, there was some magic that simply couldn’t be thrown back, and so it wasn’t all-powerful. It operated much on the same principles as reflecting magic with my shield.
And Atla could use all of these.
Of course, these techniques had been created around me and my specialization in defense, and Atla was adapting them to her own purposes.
“I can’t read her movements, and she’s fast,” Ren continued, oblivious to my musings. “Just when I think an attack has gone in, she immediately redirects it and takes no damage at all.”
“At the same time, she comes at you with defense-ignoring attacks like they are nothing. She’s very difficult to handle,” Itsuki added.
“But you manage it somehow, right?” I asked. She wasn’t that strong yet, surely.
“Yeah, sure. But if we fought one on one, I’m sure I’d have to get pretty serious,” Ren admitted.
“It would be hard to stop her without hurting her badly,” Itsuki agreed. Fully enhanced heroes would have to fight her seriously or lose? Just how strong was she becoming?
Of course, we didn’t want to kill anyone in the village by mistake, so we had to hold back quite a bit. That wasn’t easy either.
“It sounds like Fohl has finished his training and is coming back . . . but I’m not sure if we can hold her back until then. She may break through Raphtalia’s defensive line before he reappears,” Itsuki analyzed.
“Why does she want to sleep close to me so badly?” I asked, exasperated. I’d saved her life, that much was true, but I still had my limits . . .
Things had been getting a bit easier recently, but I still had no plans to have a family. I was no Motoyasu, but was this what being attractive to the opposite sex was like?
No, no, with Atla, it was more a racial thing, combined with feelings of affection due to me saving her life. I mean, consider her age. Because I was acting like a parent to Raphtalia, I treated Atla in much the same way.
“Fohl and Atla are both so strong. I think the Phoenix battle is going to be pretty easy,” Ren said
.
“Well, for one thing, I don’t think Atla will be joining us,” I replied.
“Why not?” Ren asked, puzzled.
“I made a promise to Fohl that I wouldn’t involve her in any more dangerous battles. So I’ll respect the wishes of anyone in the village who wants to fight, but I’m taking Atla out,” I explained. I was not a monster. Not a complete one. There was also a reason why I always kept Atla with Fohl. When it came to a Phoenix-class battle, there was no telling what might happen. Fohl had some mercenary experience and was working for me for the money. But Atla was just a slave I’d purchased as part of a package deal.
I’d thought she’d probably be okay if Fohl was along too, but he’d never go for that now. She’d made it alive through numerous dangerous battles. That much was true. But in many cases she’d also really just got caught up in them rather than choosing to be there.
Seeing as we knew beforehand just how dangerous this was going to be, Fohl would surely ask me to leave her behind.
It was just as I’d explained all of this that I heard the click of the door behind me.
I turned around to see Atla standing there, gripping the doorknob, trembling as she turned her face toward me. Shit, bad timing.
“What’s up, Atla?” I asked, playing it low-key.
“Master Naofumi . . . you’re not going to allow me to join you in an important battle?” she said. The shock was clear on her face—she had suddenly been benched after coming along so many times already.
“That’s the short of it. I made a promise to your brother,” I confirmed.
“Master Naofumi, I made a declaration that I would become your shield. That means I must always be close to you in battle!” she stated, indicating a burning desire to come along. I understood how she felt, I really did, but it was going to be just too dangerous. I understood how Fohl felt too.
“It’s a little too late for that now, I’m afraid. I’ve already made the promise. I never break a promise, ever. And I made this promise—it’s a real thing.” Even if Atla wanted it, Fohl would never allow it.
“My brother . . . made you promise . . .” Atla walked away, unsteady on her feet. I didn’t like the way she was moving.
“Naofumi, do you think she’ll be okay?” Ren asked.
“Can’t say I’m not concerned, but going after her now would be playing right into her hands . . .” I muttered. Atla could come on too strongly even for me sometimes. She said things like “A god can’t be wrong!” which made her a bit of a liability if I pushed her too far.
I could understand why Fohl just wanted her somewhere safe, although I was also impressed by her desire to protect me. As the Shield Hero, it was nice to have someone standing up for me for once . . . but I also didn’t want her to actually become a shield either.
“Mr. Naofumi?” Raphtalia knocked on the door and then poked her head around it. “Atla just walked past me, looking more dejected than I’ve ever seen her before. What happened in here?”
“Well, I made a promise with Fohl about not letting Atla join us in the Phoenix battle. I was just talking about that . . .”
“I see. She heard you,” Raphtalia said, looking back behind her. “I’ll be taking part, just so you know.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m counting on it,” I said. However, I did also have feelings of wanting her to stay behind too. That was why I could understand Fohl’s request.
“Whatever happens, I will fight for you, father-in-law!” Motoyasu shouted eagerly, but it was easy enough to ignore him.
“There’s going to be trouble when Fohl comes back,” Ren commented.
“Oh, Fohl . . . time for you to show your mettle,” was Raphtalia’s take. That wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. Would Fohl really be able to stop Atla?
With that, the conversation between the heroes came to an end and we started our preparations to take on the Phoenix.
Chapter Nine: Siblings’ Squabble
It was two days later.
Fohl returned to the village, having finished receiving his instruction from the old lady. She had apparently been very pleased with the rapid progress being made by those under the heroes.
There was the Shield Hero power-up method. But maybe this was partly thanks to me.
“Brother! I want to fight too!” Atla pleaded.
“No!” Fohl replied. This had been going on since he returned. For now, at least, it didn’t look like Atla was just going to try and silence him through violence. Of course, if she tried anything so silly, she definitely wouldn’t get to take part.
There was no trusting someone who’d do that.
Still, Atla was unwavering when it came to anything that might pose a threat to my life. She was absolutely devoted to me. Maybe once I’d had a bit of a fetish for having a girl follow me so blindly, but after actually meeting one, all I really felt for her was worry.
Still, I was an evildoer, one who laughed at the misfortune of others, so maybe I didn’t have the right to such a reaction.
Could one as evil as me, raising slaves in order to happily send them off to risk their lives, hope to have anything like a family? Of course not.
So I just quietly watched Fohl and Atla’s exchange.
“I’m asking you so nicely and you still won’t let me go?” Atla continued.
“That’s right, Atla. There’s no way I can take you into somewhere so dangerous,” Fohl firmly replied.
“Brother, everywhere is dangerous. We don’t know what could happen, or when, and then we could just be dead,” Atla went on.
“That’s not quite right. So long as you are here, you will be safe,” Fohl countered.
“Do you really think so? While Master Naofumi is away, someone may pour poison into the river. A sudden plague may kill me. People jealous of Master Naofumi’s deeds may come to the village, and I’d get caught up in the commotion.” Atla went straight to some pretty extreme examples.
Those things weren’t going to happen . . . right? Poisoning the river? That would really be crossing the line.
Still, maybe I’d talk with Rat about planting some bioplants to keep the river clean.
“Can you at least be a little realistic?” Fohl chided.
“I’m just telling you that ‘safety’ is an illusion. I want to protect Master Naofumi from that sadness! Everything I just said, those things that could happen, they apply to Master Naofumi too. If I’m not there, a stray arrow may hit him,” Atla continued. Huh? So now I was involved too?
She really was twisting things to her own convenience.
This was another world. It would take more than a stray arrow to kill the Shield Hero.
“I don’t want to sit around just being protected! Please, let me fight too!” Atla still wasn’t done.
“And I’m telling you that isn’t going to happen!” Fohl remained steadfast.
“I’m not weak anymore!” Atla countered.
“That arrogance is what puts you in danger!” Fohl shot back. Seriously. Were they ever going to stop?
That said though, if I got involved, the result wouldn’t lead to anything better. There was nothing I could do. Even if I tried to use her age as a reason, there were other young girls just like Atla who would be fighting.
I guess it was a little late to point out how terribly twisted I was.
“We can’t reach an agreement, can we, Atla?” Fohl finally conceded.
“No, we can’t.” At least Atla was in agreement about this.
“Then, as those of the bloodline of the hakuko, you know what we have to do,” Fohl said. He raised his fist at Atla and unleashed a wave of murderous intent.
What the hell was about to kick off?
“I do,” Atla replied. “For the sake of showing my resolve, I’ll now display my strength to you, brother.”
“If you lose to me, you’ll keep my promise. This is the very reason I went and trained,” Fohl revealed.
“I will be true to my word. If I can’t even d
efeat you, brother, I’ve no place to claim I can defend Master Naofumi,” Atla replied. Another bit of a jump from her.
Anyway, I’d heard a lot of chatter about fights between Fohl and Atla. Fohl would generally win if he had Raphtalia’s help, apparently. I looked over at her now.
“Without your help, can Fohl beat Atla?” I asked.
“Maybe once every three times, although since Q’ten Lo, I think that’s bumped up to two in three,” she informed me. Not a sterling record, but not bad.
Ren and Itsuki had said Atla was developing faster, but when pure guts were thrown into the equation, Fohl’s chances likely increased. He’d been a fighter since before he met us too, so it could come down to the one with the most experience.
“Come then, brother. We fight,” Atla declared.
“Indeed,” Fohl replied. The siblings pointed their fists at each other and prepared for battle.
The two of them had quite different fighting styles.
Fohl normally used his fists to punch his foes, while Atla mainly used thrusts with her fingers extended. Rather than punching, it was more like she was stabbing at weak spots.
This fight would decide whether Atla was going to take part in the battle with the Phoenix. The wind blew through, and a single bioplant leaf danced past.
The moment it fell to the ground, the fight started.
With a shout, Fohl moved—and fast—right up in front of Atla, then struck down with his fist and a grunt. Atla used her own hands to redirect the blow, avoiding it by a hair’s breadth.
Fohl’s fist stuck into the ground.
A thud rang out, and cracks spiderwebbed out from the impact.
“Now!” Atla shouted. From behind Fohl, her own attack came down.
“No way!” Fohl was practically standing on his hands, his fist still stuck in the ground, and he twisted his body to deliver a kick to Atla.
With an annoyed sound, she blocked the kick with one hand, then twisted her body around his leg to absorb the impact before landing again. She attempted another strike, but Fohl leapt up from his inverted position, recovered himself, and then launched a flying kick at Atla.
