" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Naofumi: Huh ? it's not here. The money I got from the king, my chain-mail... All of my stuff, gone... You're kidding me, a thief ?!

Guard: SHIELD HERO ! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR SUSPICION OF RAPE AND MURDER !!

Naofumi: Huh ? What, no ! I'm the victim here ! My stuff was stolen ! SOMEONE LISTEN TO ME !

King: From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you would bring nothing but trouble. You... YOU FIEND ! I WONDERED WHEN YOU WOULD SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS !!

Naofumi: Wha... This must be some kind of mistake ! I'm sure if you ask Y/n or Myne...

Motoyasu: You... How dare you pronounce his name, after you murdered him !! Don't act like you don't remember !!

Naofumi: Wait, hold on... that chain-mail... Where did you...

Motoyasu: What, this ? Myne gave it to me. We happened to meet at a tavern yesterday...

Myne: A... After that... the shield hero entered my room, completely drunk... H-He... Forced me down and...

Naofumi: Huh ?

Myne: I... Was so frightened that I screamed. Then the staff entered the room and tried to calm him down, but... He was murdered in cold blood before my eyes !! So I ran away, until I found Lord Motoyasu...

Motoyasu: Myne...

Naofumi: 'Wh-What's she talking about ? What is going on ?!'

Itsuki: I had a feeling that you were here for a different reason than us...

Ren: Same here. You probably just confused yourself for being a higher class than you are.

(A/n: That's right, after all you're not a politic-*BANG*)

Motoyasu: I never though you would be the type to commit such a crime ! Someone like you, HAS NO RIGHT TO BE A HERO !!

Naofumi: 'Why... Why do I have to be insulted like this ?! Myne...'

Naofumi: 'I've been duped !! But then... What happened to Y/n ?!'

Naofumi: Now that I think about it, she never called anything but heroes, and yet she calls Motoyasu by his name... So that's how it was...

Motoyasu: Huh ? What are you talking about...

Naofumi: Don't play dumb with me ! You played me to get the gear and the money, didn't you ?!

Ren: Man, you're an eyesore. You realize Motoyasu was given enough money to cover all of his comrades' equipment, right ? I'll bet you did stuff like this to your friend even before coming here, you sure are something.

Itsuki: That's right, don't expect any pity from us.

Motoyasu: LIKE ANYONE'S GOING TO BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY, Stay back, Myne.

Myne: Of course.

Naofumi: 'What the hell... ? From within the pit of my stomach... I can feel deep, dark emotions swelling up ! What, is this all because I have a shield ?! Because I can't fight ?! So you're going to kick me while I'm down, to make it better for all of you ? You are all... Not a single one of you ever believed me from the start... You're the ones who brought us here in the first place... Why the fucking hell... Do I have to protect these people ?!'

Naofumi: Fine... I don't give a damn anymore...

Naofumi: 'Why do I have to come all the way here just to be made to feel like this ?!

King: While I would much like to send back a hero of this kind... Until the next way, there is no manner in which we can. To summon forth someone new, all four of the saints need to have died, or so my researchers have told me.

Motoyasu: What... ?!

Naofumi: Hmph. What a joke... So if you want me gone from this world, All three of you have to go down with me ! If you kill just me, then your precious world won't be saved !

Soldier: Why you...

Naofumi: What's wrong ?! You look like you want to hit me ! Well, go for it ! Come on, hit me ! You'd best underestimate the Shield hero !

Guards: YOU ! Your majesty !

King: Guh... Release him ! So long as you serve to counterattack the wave of demons, I will not impose punishment on you here. However, all the people of this country will know what you have done. I still can't believe that you killed one of your fellows hero...

???: WHO KILLED WHO ?!!

So, here I stood now, by the gates of the throne room, completely out of breath and drenched from head to toes.

"Alright, the one who thought it would be funny to knock me out and throw me in a lake at night, STEP FORWARD THAT INSTANT !!"

Motoyasu: You... You're alive ?!! How could it be ?!!

"What ? Of course I'm alive ! Well, I did almost drowned in that damn lake, and I'm pretty sure I caught a cold, but I'm good."

King: This... is some unexpected news... But it doesn't change anything for what you've done to your partner, Shield hero !

Naofumi: Damn it, they totally ripped me a new one... I guess soldiers here aren't really educated... Well, whatever. Thanks to the power of the shield, it doesn't hurt or anything... Hey, Y/n...

"Naofumi... if you're about to repeat whet they said, I don't want to hear it, 'Cause I know it will be nothing but a bunch of lies. I've known you for almost ten years now, I know it's just a trap made by that red-haired bitch."

Naofumi: ... Thanks, Y/n...

Blacksmith: Hey, over there ! Shield brat !

"That's the weapon dealer..."

Blacksmith: I heard about how you tried to rape your comrade. Allow me to hit you once myself.

Naofumi: What, you too ?

"Well, I won't allow it. The grapevines here sure spreads fast, but letting my friend getting beaten up for something he didn't do is not my type."

Blacksmith: Tch... I don't feel like it anymore. I've seen enough anyways, it looks like you already had enough.

Naofumi: Hmph...

Blacksmith: Hey, that way leads to outside of the castle ! What are you going to do ?!

Blacksmith: Damn. I told you to wait !!

Naofumi: Ow ! What the hell are you doing ?!

Blacksmith: it's a farewell gift. With that get-up on, no one will take you seriously.

"Clothes... ?"

Naofumi: They're not free, right ?

Blacksmith: They were on clearance. Probably around five copper coins or so ?

Naofumi: Fine. I'll make sure to pay you back.

Blacksmith: You come back safe, you hear ?!

Naofumi: YAAAAH !!!

*POP*

Naofumi: Finally... Level 2... I feel like I could hit these things all day if I had to, but it really take way to much time...

"I'd better watch out for those swarms..."

Naofumi: Yeah, now that we're on our own, those are bad news.

"Actually, I DO want one to happen. I wanna try something I found out recently."

Naofumi: If you say so... All that made me hungry... Hum ? Those leaves...

"Naofumi, no. I know you're hungry, but I don't think eating leaves is a good thing."

Naofumi: You take me for a caterpillar ?! I just noticed the blacksmith gave me the same ones. Who knows, maybe they're edible...

We both noticed that his shield started to react to the leaf, and upon approaching it to the green orb in its center, the leaf got absorbed.

Naofumi: It absorbed the leaf !

"A medicinal herb ?"

Naofumi: Okay, so in short, we only need to read the stuff of those windows. This starts to really looks like a video game.

From behind us, they was a few bouncing sound, revealing to be a small group of those balloons monsters.

"Good, I've been waiting for that."

Naofumi: So, what is that thing you wanted to try ?

"You'll see. Before I got knocked out last evening, I discovered why my spell tree was so empty. Now, it's time..."

"[MAGICIAN'S RED] !!!"

From the tip of my staff a stream of fire erupted, completely incinerating the monsters within a few seconds.

Naofumi: What was that ? I though you only had a basic "ember" fire spell ?

"That's what I thought, too. But turns out the Staff hero possess an inherent ability called 'Spell creation'. I guess it's self-explanatory."

Naofumi: So you created that spell yourself ? And of course, you named it after a Jojo reference...

"My only limit is my imagination, and considering I can make a spell out of each Stand, you can easily imagine the following. The only real problem is that those custom spells cost way more Mana than the others."

Naofumi: So, it'll take some time before this becomes a viable thing for fight... besides, that stupid old man. Clearance items, my ass. The amount I have to pay back just keeps going up. Wounds are the least of my problems right now.

"Why don't you check that 'leaf shield' you just got ?"

Naofumi: Oh, yeah, what did I unlocked...

Naofumi: Are these all branches from the small shield ? I'd heard that you raised the legendary weapons on your own, but...

"Those must be from those balloon monsters."

Naofumi: As for the leaf shield...

Naofumi: Harvest +1... A harvest skill...

Merchant: Materials from demons... The balloon demon and the medicinal herb Aero, right ? Oh, wow, this is really good quality, where did you found it ?

Naofumi: It's from the plains outside the castle, haven't heard of it ? So ? How much will it go for ?

Merchant: Oh yes, there's been a little rumor floating around. You may be a hero, but since you're a criminal, well, you know...

"Oh, I get it, you're trying to take advantage of us, right ?"

Naofumi: Go for it. Why not buy up something a bit... Fresher, while you're at it ?

Merchant: GYAAAAAAAHH...

Naofumi: '... Damn it, this world is full of those guys. Well it's thanks to that I made as much money as I did, even if I'm nowhere close to the amount that was stolen before. This is pathetic...'

'I don't think he'll be able to hang on for much time now... Sooner or later he'll explode, and it won't be a pretty sight...'

Drunk: Oh hoh, take a look at this. Two heroes, eating all by themselves here.

Drunk 2: How about we become your friends, huh ? Hahaha ! Man, we're so nice !

Naofumi: First and foremost, the employment system is completely commission-based. 40% of the earnings goes to us, and you're free to do what you want with the rest. You pay for your own equipment, too.

Drunk 2: What ?! Are you stupid ?! You're a hero, right ?

Drunk: Don't be so cheap. How about we just have you pay us in advance ? OW OW OW OW OW !! It hurts !!

Drunk 2: What is this thing ?! An orange balloon ?! What's one doing here ?!

'That's exactly what I meant. He's started changing already. After what he went through, I'm afraid he might never be the same again...'

Naofumi: Hah... These things attached to me are more than enough to take care of punks like them.

Naofumi: Even though my level went up, my attack power still isn't nearly enough... And since it's long, I can't kill monsters, so I can't gain any experience, leading to my attack power not increasing...

"And we're broke too, what a vicious loop..."

???: You appear concerned, maybe I can help you.

Naofumi: Who are you ?

???: Were you not looking for assistance ?

Naofumi: if you're here to offer some comrades, you're wasting your time. You can't trust anyone these days...

???: Fufufufu... "Comrades", what a useless notion. What I offer you yields no tricks, but a person of talent would never betray its master.

"You..."

???: Shield and staff heroes, am I right ? Word travels fast, you know. People speak of two heroes with no one but monsters at their side...

Naofumi: ... Oh ?

???: Ufufu... My eyes do not deceive me, yes ? I like eyes like yours the most. I'm sure you'll be some wonderful customers. Right this way.

"I get it now... You're a slave trader, aren't you ?"

Slave-trader: Well then. I have more Semi-Humans than anything else, but that makes things easier.

Naofumi: What makes Semi-Humans different from humans ?

Slave-trader: They are like humans, with the exception of certain parts of their anatomy. People say they're close to what monsters are, which makes it particularly difficult for them to live in this country.

Naofumi: ... Sounds perfect for us.

Slave-trader: This is the one I would like to recommend to you.

Slave-trader: How is he ? Aren't his stats simply wonderful ?

'Level 75... Compared to him, we're nothing.'

Slave-trader: As for the price...

Naofumi: No, don't tell us. You know very well what we can't buy, so you showed us the most expensive one, right ?

Slave-trader: Well, yes. You are a customer who has developed very good eyes. What kind of product are you looking for ?

Naofumi: Something cheap, that isn't already broken down... Preferably something that isn't meant for use at home... A male would be nice.

Slave-trader: In which case, it will be something geared toward battle, but it's skills will be deficient. Is that all right ? Also, about that rumor...

Naofumi:

Slave-trader: of course. Beside, the mere presence of the Staff hero is enough proof. You do seems different from the man mentioned. Well then, in this direction, you will find the lower-priced goods that I can offer you. They are problematic, but they're all tamed.

'This really is the worst pick of the lot... I guess this is what's called "the reek of death"...'

???: Cough... cough...

Slave-trader: Sir hero ?

Naofumi: Raise your head.

Naofumi: 'She's a female, just like her...' Your name ?

???: ... Huh ?

Naofumi: You don't have one ?

Raphtalia: Hii... R-Raph... Raph... Talia.

Slave-trader: Compared to the fox species, the raccoons are not really popular. She's prone to panic attacks, and suffer from disease. I don't really know what to do with her. In my opinion, she does not have long before...

Naofumi: That sounds fine...