It was very late in the night, outside the mansion of Idol Rabier. Frisk and Naofumi are currently observing the mansion as they double-check the plan one more time. The two ensure that they are far from being spotted, the two do not want to risk being spotted by the guards who are on night watch at the entrance.
Naofumi: "Okay, first, you cast the illusion spell on us. Next, we sneak in to find where the bastard is keeping the children. Then, you cast illusion magic on them to ensure we won't get spotted. Finally, we escape with the carriage."
Naofumi had his strongest shield equipment: the Poisonous Centipede Shield.
Poisonous Centipede Shield: equip bonus: skill "Bite Shield", defense +15, poison resistance +2
Equip effect: poison shield (medium), speed up
Before they reached the territory the two encountered a group of centipedes, there was a huge centipede which was the leader of the centipedes. Their levels were a bit higher compared to Naofumi as they were a bit of a struggle to deal with, but thankfully Frisk was there to help. They were able to kill the centipedes which earned Naofumi two more levels.
But for Frisk, it seems the centipedes were strong enough to give them EXP, which granted them an increase of LOVE. They were now at LV 2, but because of Companion Series abilities, Frisk's stats were now a bit higher than they had thought.
"Frisk"
LV 2
HP 30/30
ATK 5 (15) EXP: 115
DEF 7 (2) NEXT: 85
MAG 3 (10)
WEAPON: Magic Sword
ARMOR: White Handkerchief (Traveler's Gear +5 DEF)
COPPER: 50 SILVER: 60 GOLD: 70
Frisk could not help but be amazed by how the legendary shield was helping them. Even if they are a bit conflicted with it. They're now sure that they can help with the mission. Anyway, back to the topic.
Frisk: "Yep, we leave no one behind, I doubt we'll be able to fight the entire residence of the mansion as we don't know what levels they are."
Naofumi: "Still can't believe we were able to react here in the night, I would have guessed we would be here in the morning."
Naofumi and Frisk turn in the direction of where the filolial and carriage are currently hiding. Chara smiles at where the filolial is.
Chara: "That's the carrying filolial for you, trustworthy for any transportation. It must have sensed your determination for the mission that it didn't want to let you both down. Truly a remarkable speed. (Although I haven't seen the flying or magical filolials, I would have already seen one of the two during the week in Melromarc.)"
Naofumi: "I wonder if all filolials are this fast?"
But Naofumi focuses back on the mission as he asks Frisk if he got the spell ready.
Frisk: "Let me test it out... The source of my determination. Listen to my words and understand my willpower. Form a hiding for my companions or me. First Hiding!"
Frisk immediately felt their SOUL change to the Patience SOUL, Teleport Mode. The mode allows them to teleport anywhere within range in case they need a quick teleport to avoid attacks but the downside of the mode is that they cannot move.
Naofumi: "Frisk, you vanished!"
Naofumi watched as Frisk just vanished with no trace of where they once stood. Chara looked directly at where Frisk was once visible as if they could still see them.
Chara: "Well, your appearance does look invisible, but I can still see you, you look like the green plumber from Super Plumber 64 DS when he used the ability to turn invisible."
Frisk: "Looks like it does, but sadly I... Cannot move...?"
Frisk unknowingly walked away from Naofumi, but they noticed their movement and could not help but be in shock.
Frisk: "Wait... How!?"
They had long accepted that no matter how much they tried, they could not move whenever Teleport Mode was on. Frisk immediately tested the ability as they moved to different spots while still walking.
Chara: "I could not help but wonder if being in another world has affected your SOUL. It feels like I should know why it is like that."
Frisk could only sigh as Chara didn't seem to remember the reason why the mode was strange. They would have assumed that Chara had experienced the situation they were facing in the past and had a conclusion as to why it was happening. Perhaps once they find Fitoria then they'll get some answers.
Frisk still needs answers. But suddenly, Frisk imagined a light bulb turning on above their head.
Frisk: "Hey Naofumi, I got another way to get inside, but we still need to be hidden just to not raise any alarm."
Frisk chants the spell once again but on Naofumi as he too turns invisible. Then with no warning, Frisk grabbed his hand as the two teleported from outside the mansion to the inside. Naofumi thought that he had just seen a flash of the outside and then of the inside. He looked around to see that they were indeed inside the mansion.
Naofumi: "Frisk, was that a soul ability?"
Frisk: "Yes, Teleport Mode, I'll tell you about it later."
Naofumi nodded as the two carefully searched around to see if they could find the room where the slaves were. It seems there weren't many guards inside the mansion but that did not mean they had to be careless. So far they hadn't found anything in the rooms they'd seen, at least on the first floor, until they found a locked door.
Frisk: "Looks like we need to find the key to this door, we can't break the door or else someone will hear us. Plus there could be a chance that a magic alarm would trigger if we force ourselves to get in."
Naofumi: "Perhaps this is where the slaves are, I mean the other rooms were unlocked, and this is the only door that is locked. Maybe the key is somewhere... Wait, did you hear that?"
The two put their ears on the door and listened quietly. They can hear a noise of agony but very faintly.
Frisk: "The slaves are in there! Hold on!"
Frisk teleported behind the door as they opened it for Naofumi. From what they notice it seems to be the stairs to a basement. With no distractions, they quickly went downstairs as they were met with the smells of blood and odor. Once they reached the basement, what they could have imagined was worse than they thought.
The basement was an underground prison, it was too horrifying to see, but they knew that they had to find whoever was still alive. Naofumi immediately handed Frisk a few potions and the two immediately searched around. The two split up while Chara stayed with Frisk.
Thankfully the cells were not locked or were left unlocked, it didn't matter to them, all that mattered was to save whoever was in there.
Frisk: "I found two children!"
They whisper as they use the Magic Sword to break the chains that trap their arms as Frisk carefully feeds the medicine to the badly injured children. Frisk immediately thought of Rifana's eyes, full of hopelessness, the way she had nearly succumbed to the pain and suffering she endured. They could only hope that the children could be saved.
Chara: "...It's working!"
Chara was breathing with anxiety, hoping and praying for these small children to survive. It seems the medicine was able to push them back from death's domain.
Naofumi: "Hold on... Just... Hold on a bit longer!"
Frisk could hear Naofumi's voice as they asked Chara to watch the two demi-human children as they went to check in on Naofumi. The moment they saw him, they could see him pleading with a cat demi-human child to stay alive.
Naofumi: "Why... Why isn't the healing potion or my healing magic working!?"
Frisk took a closer look at the cat demi-human as their "eyes" widened in horror. They did not know if they were male or female, missing one of their arms, a leg nearly cut off, and a missing eye. This child faced harsh suffering, yet it was able to live for this long!
Naofumi: "Please... Just... Hold on! Fast Heal! Frisk...! H-Help!"
They can see the pleading look that Naofumi was showing as Frisk immediately uses Fast Heal as their SOUL changes to the Kindness SOUL. They used Kindness magic to heal the demi-human, but it shows no signs of recovery.
Frisk: "Come on... Work!"
Suddenly the demi-human looked at Naofumi, its remaining eye showed no hope or dream, letting out a tear. The body suddenly went numb, now feeling cold, the last remainder of life was now gone. Frisk and Naofumi stared at the child for a moment, color vanishing from their skins. Then small words came out from Naofumi.
Naofumi: "No... No... No, no, no, no, n-NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!"
Naofumi now has tears in his eyes, his arms shaking that held the demi-human child. The child that he couldn't save, the child who was recused way too late. He failed to save a child.
Naofumi: "NO PLEASE! FAST HEAL! FAST HEAL!!!"
He yelled hoping that the child was still alive, wasting his magic power on a now deceased corpse.
Frisk: "Naofumi...!"
He turned to see Frisk, tears in their eyes, placing a hand on his shoulder, a sign that said that it was too late. The child was gone, and there was nothing the two could do to fix it. Frisk would have LOAD back to the previous SAVE point with no hesitation, but the recent SAVE point was saved before entering the mansion. There was absolutely nothing they could do now since the child's condition was beyond healing.
Naofumi slammed his arm to the ground, letting out another scream. He never felt so useless in his life as a child died in his arms, the child he was unable to save. His vision began to blur, feeling nothing but pure agony of his failure. Suddenly something awoke from the legendary shield.
Curse Series unlocked!
A message pops up in Naofumi's field of vision but ignores what it says.
Naofumi: "I've failed! I've failed to save a child!"
Frisk: "Naofumi! We...! We...!"
They did not know what to say, they didn't know if their words could help Naofumi. Frisk calls out for Chara.
Frisk: "Chara! We need your help! ...Chara!?"
Chara didn't show themselves, as if they hadn't heard the call. Frisk worriedly went back to where they left them, but Chara was no longer there. The children were still there but it seemed they went unconscious, but were still breathing. Frisk immediately healed them in case the pain in their bodies was still there.
Once they were done, they immediately carried them back to Naofumi, who was still in tears. Frisk knew they had to snap him out of it because they suddenly felt something was wrong with his shield.
Frisk: "...I'm sorry for this Naofumi!"
With no hesitation, Frisk slaps Naofumi across the face, it momentarily stunned him but quickly snaps out of it. He was about to say something until he saw the expression that Frisk had.
Frisk: "Naofumi... This isn't your fault, Nobody is blaming you. Nobody is."
But Naofumi looks at the deceased child still in his arms.
Naofumi: "But... He... She... They'd endured so much and suffered until they'd died. Even once hoping that someone could save them, hoping that the legendary Shield Hero could have saved them. I could have arrived sooner if I had been summoned before the first wave. I could have saved them, could have protected them from ever being sold as slaves."
Before he could continue, he received another slap. Now Frisk had more tears to let out.
Frisk: "Believe me, I wished we could have done more, but all we can do is give them the proper rest they deserve rather than having their bodies rot in this disgusting place. Look Naofumi, we may not have saved this child, but that doesn't mean we can't save these two, and possibly more survivors."
They've pointed at the two children as if Frisk's tone had not woken them up. Frisk grabbed his hand and placed it on one of the children's arms, feeling their pulse.
Frisk: "Do you feel that this child's pulse, Naofumi? She's still alive, and so is the boy, both of them can still be saved, and can still be free from all of this. We can grieve for this poor child once we get them out. We still have a mission to do. We must protect whoever is left here. People need you Naofumi, people need someone who can save them."
Naofumi started at the two children, both have endured the torture by the scum noble who did this to them. The scars and bruises they still have can be healed, there's still hope for those who are still hanging on. Naofumi's vision soon cleared, he knew Frisk was right, there are still more children in here that are still holding on.
Naofumi: "The child we couldn't save... Would have wanted us to save the others, it was what I saw when the child looked at me. I don't know if you saw it, but I knew, it could not show the hope that they felt when they let out their final tear. I'm going to honor their wish, we are going to save them."
Frisk felt they had accomplished bringing Naofumi back to his senses. They stood up and offered a hand, Naofumi took the hand as he got up still holding the child.
Naofumi: "The best I can do is to absorb the remains of the child, once we find a secluded spot or the remains of Raphtalia's village, we'll give them a proper burial. But that doesn't mean we can't stop what we came here for."
Frisk: "Then what are we waiting for."
Wasting no time, the two went back to see if there were any more survivors in the basement. Fortunately, they found a few who had to be treated immediately, five were barely holding on, four cried in their unconscious state, and one seemed broken but was still alive, a total of 10 children. Naofumi and Frisk made sure to not leave a single child behind as Frisk teleported them to the carriage and back to the basement.
Their slave crests were removed before healing them, they hoped the noble hadn't noticed it, but for some reason, he hadn't come down to check to see what was happening to his former slaves.
Frisk: "That should be the last one. Unless we somehow missed a cell."
Naofumi: "...I think we did, it seems it is the only two left that we missed."
He pointed at the far end of the basement, two cells that were surrounded by pure darkness or had any torches to light up.
Frisk: "Let's check it out, if there are kids in there then we'll save them and get the hell out of here."
Naofumi nodded as they approached it, before they reached it, they noticed a red glow in one of the cells.
Frisk: "Chara? Is this where they went?"
They reached where they could see Chara, before Naofumi or Frisk said anything, they saw how Chara looked, pure horror. Unable to look away from what they are seeing. The two looked to where Chara was seeing, and they too looked at what they now saw.
Bodies, bodies of grown demi-human women, and a few demi-human men, each body had deep scars and dried blood that spread all over the cell. Clothes were torn leaving a lot of bodies exposed. White... Liquid, cover each woman. As if... As if...
* ...
Frisk felt their lungs tighten, struggling to breathe air, unable to look away from the horrid sight that was in front of them. They couldn't... Unable to process what they are seeing, Yet, they knew what had happened to the demi-humans... The adults of the destroyed village.
* ...The looks on their faces.
* ...They wanted whoever was hurting them to stop.
* ...But their words were ignored.
Naofumi watches in utter horror as if he can tell that these demi-humans want to escape the hell they suffer from. A disgusting thought had appeared in his mind, that the children had to endure not just the pain, but the pain of their parents, family friends, being assaulted and hurt until their last breath.
His vision began to blur once again, but this time it was no longer of agony or failure, it was pure rage. Rage that this much injustice had happened to the demi-humans who lost their homes, lost their freedom, and lost their will because of scums, bastards, and rapists who think that consequences are above them.
Without him realizing it, his shield began to change, the green gem slowly turning red. He unleashed his newfound hatred to the noble scum of this world, the very scum who did this to them.
This time, he noticed a message.
Shield of Rage conditions met!
Shield of Rage: ability locked: equip bonus: skill "Change Shield (attack)," "Iron Maiden"
Special effect: self-curse burning, strength up
Born from the heart: Shield of Destruction
Warning: An unknown power has suppressed the corruption of the Wrath Series!
Naofumi felt like someone was trying to take control of his mind, to go berserk with no control of his body. Yet, he felt that his soul was able to help him to ensure he was still in control of himself. Kindness... It is not needed for this! For now...!
Naofumi: "The Shield of Rage!"
He saw the flames around the new shield form, but it seemed it was calming down only leaving a small flame. He was able to see the design, blood red, looked very sinister, and corrupted. He turned around and walked to the stairs that led upstairs to the mansion. He wanted to kill the bastard, he wanted to see the disgusting bastard beg for his life.
But he suddenly felt the urge to turn around, Naofumi decided to listen to his instinct and turned around. He saw Frisk just following him, their face showed pure hatred, the expression to murder the scum just like him. Chara, floating next to Frisk, showed the same expression. No words were said, they all knew what needed to be done.
The two left the basement, not before vowing to the corpses that they would kill their killer, and come back to collect the bodies. Like the demi-human child who died, they will not let their bodies rot in the basement, or anywhere within this area.
The two arrived upstairs, not even bothering to hide their identities. Suddenly, noises from the second floor were heard, it sounded like laughter, cruel laughter. The two began to follow the noise until they were stopped by two guards.
"Halt! Identify yourselves! How did you both get here!?"
The first guard said with a serious look as if he was confident that he'd hand two intruders.
"Wait... The Shield Demon!"
The second guard looked at the shield with pure fear, the first guard noticed the shield on Naofumi's arm now became afraid as well.
"The Devil of the Shield!? Warn Lord Rabier!"
The second guard ran with no hesitation, hoping to alert his lord until he suddenly felt a powerful slash go through his armor and hit his stomach. Then another slash hit his head and he felt his life was draining fast.
Frisk was right behind the second guard, the magic sword glowed, empowered with determination. They knew the magic sword wouldn't cut through the armor, so they ensured their determination to surround the blade as it did what they wanted the blade to do. They could only wonder how different their world is compared to this world.
Frisk also wants to ensure that the scum wouldn't be able to be prepared or order more guards that will give the scum the chance to escape.
* YOU WON!
* You earned 23 XP and 5 silver.
They suddenly felt the room was becoming hot as they turned to see Naofumi holding his shield up while the first guard was on the ground dead. Frisk then noticed the look of the legendary shield, they suddenly felt that they should have done something. But the way Naofumi was killing the guy, it was that particular shield form that was giving him the ability to do real damage.
Frisk: "Naofumi, let's go, he's already dead. Plus we should hurry, we don't know if their deaths somehow got noticed."
They spoke in a calm tone, they knew that there would always be ways for someone to know what had happened. They rather not risk staying around.
Frisk immediately noticed the dead knight, burns that seemed very cursed, the armor had a hole on the chest plate, with blood still leaking out. They assume the armor was one of the parts that killed him sooner, the heat, the armor couldn't withstand the amount of it.
Naofumi listens as he pulls away his shield, he already got the notification that he earned exp which meant Frisk was right about the guard being dead.
Frisk and Naofumi went upstairs with no one stopping them, to follow where the laughter was coming from. They soon saw a door open halfway they carefully listened and peeked a little as they saw a group of men drinking. And judging by their clothing, they seem to be wealthy. It seems they are having the time of their lives.
"Lord Rabier, I must thank you for inviting us to this event. Those disgusting monsters don't deserve to live on the ground we stand on!"
"Too right my fellow friend. Those filthy animals dare to stand in our holy country, as well as pray to the Devil of the Shield! Thank goodness that the devil was not summoned."
The men sneered when the Shield Hero was mentioned. Then more insults were thrown at the Shield Hero who they didn't know was in the same room. Naofumi looked disgusted at their choice of him.
"My lord, I still feel dissatisfied, could I go back and continue my activity with those animals?"
"You dolt! You want to play with the corpses?"
"Oh? They are all dead? Such a shame, I guess your guards and knights did spend their work time with those animals."
The words echoed in Naofumi's mind, they fueled the flames of the Shield of Rage.
Chara: "Even those guards were tormenting them! You and Naofumi did the right thing in killing those guards."
The two didn't hear Chara, not at the moment. Their eyes were locked in on a chubby man in noble clothing laughing with his noble friends with no remorse for their actions. Naofumi and Frisk knew this was the man who brought the slaves from the village, tortured the demi-humans, killed them, and assaulted them!
But thankfully, fate was on their side, all the nobles who joined in with the cruel treatment of demi-humans, were in one room. Killing birds with two stones. (If that makes sense).
Frisk: "Naofumi, let's prove to them that you're the so-called "Shield Demon," they're supposed to fear."
Naofumi intentionally did just that, he slammed his shield at the door which burst into flames, and at the same time flung it open. All the nobles present jumped off the sight of Naofumi, but before they could react, all of them were unable to move. Frisk slices their legs and arms while Naofumi unleashes the flames that hurt the bastards even further.
The screams satisfied them. But they knew it was not enough!
Frisk: "Naofumi! ...Make sure they don't die yet!"
Naofumi cast healing magic to ensure the disgusting scums won't die due to blood loss. While it seems his healing magic was effective thanks to the enchantment of the Kindness soul, the curse burns were incurable. While it did concern him of the effect, it barely mattered, what only mattered was the scene in front of him.
Naofumi: "Guess the only thing they could do now is squabble pathetically."
The nobles cried out in pain and agony, the damage lingers in the cuts and burns. But to their surprise, the noble who ruled the estate cried out in anger and fear. It was a "miracle" that he could still speak while in pain.
"Ho-w!? H-ow did t-he de-mon ge-t h-ere!?"
Naofumi did not answer him, he instead slammed his shield on the scum's face. It was very effective that blood was coming out of his head.
"Fast Heal!"
He healed the damage he had caused, not before doing the same thing again.
"Fast Heal!"
Another heal and hit, or was it the other way around?
"Fast Heal!"
Naofumi was impressed that his soul was helping with his healing magic. He was showing Kindness to those who died by this bastard. But he decided that he wanted to say a few things. But what also impressed him was the damage he was doing, who knew there was an attack shield hidden within his defense shield?
Naofumi: "We are going to make sure you all pay for what you did to the survivors. I am going to make you think that you are not above consequences."
Chara, who was thinking of ways to make the nobles wish for death, heard what Naofumi said, they could not help but float near Frisk and whisper.
Chara: "Why does that sound SO familiar?"
Frisk ignores Chara and focuses on tormenting the other nobles for their sins. One was on the verge of breaking. But the lord, to Naofumi's surprise, still has things to say.
"I'm... Doi-ng wha-t g-od wo-uld ha-ve wan-ted! A d-emon lik-e yo-u sho-uld b-e dest-oyed by our go-d! An-d yo-ur fil-thy ani-mals!"
Before he could say anything more, Naofumi decided the scum wasn't worth talking further. He raised his shield, giving the scum a smile that made the scum believe that he was right about the Shield Demon.
Naofumi: "Hell is the perfect place for scum like you! Soon your fellow scums will follow."
He swung his shield through the noble's neck and it was able to cut through with no problem. A shield that was supposed to be seen as a defensive weapon, was now shown that it can be used as a murder weapon. Blood bursts out from where the head was leaving pure red liquid on the nice-looking floor.
"THE SHIELD DEMON KILLED LORD RABIER! EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE LISTEN TO THE THREE HEROES CHURCH! THE DEVIL—!"
The other noble who was on the verge of breaking, now broke as he shouted the propaganda that Naofumi had to endure. He is quickly silenced by Frisk who no longer has the magic sword in their hands. A pure red, heat-looking knife. The Knife of Determination.
Frisk: "I wonder if that alerted the guards around the mansion. It wouldn't have hurt to earn more EXP."
Frisk no longer cared if their LOVE increased, if it meant removing the scums in this country, then getting more EXP wouldn't hurt anyone. Frisk wasted no time in killing the remaining nobles within the room as they soon heard footsteps of a small army coming up the stairs.
Frisk: "Get ready, make sure to leave none alive. Or else this whole territory will know of your existence."
Naofumi ready his shield, ready to unleash the rage that remains in his body.
Then came in view, knights rushed in, only to see the gruesome room that was caused by two people. One of the knights, ready to avenge the lord, only to be shaking in his boots.
"The Devil of the Shield! He's here!"
Everyone who heard the guard immediately became afraid, while some only sneered, some were eager to take down the devil, and some wanted to run away and live. But before anyone could react, Naofumi rushed and slammed his shield to the knight in front as flames engulfed the knight. But it only covered half of the small army.
The other half tried to get through to kill the Shield Demon, but one knight slowly backed away.
"Shit! I'm not staying here and dying to the Shield Demon! I rather not see those filthy demi-humans in the afterlife!"
"Coward! If we kill the Devil of the Shield, then we'll be rewarded by the king!"
But the knight ran away in fear, not wanting to die at the hands of the devil. But before he could make it to the stairs, he suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. Then a hot sharp knife went through his head, killing him instantly.
"W-What!?"
The knight who called the now dead knight a coward, now looks at Frisk with fear. Frisk, looking at the knight with their right hand, holding on to the Knife of Determination glowed, they are determined to ensure that every knight here will face the sins of their actions. Soon the other knight fell with blood leaking out from his neck.
* YOU WON!
* You earned 8 XP and 10 copper.
* Your LOVE increased!
Frisk was now at LOVE 3.
Chara: "I'm just going to say this, I can feel a tiny change within your Frisk, hopefully, you can abort this familiar carnage."
Frisk: "Oh don't worry, Chara, I'll abort this route after we finish off the rest of these scums. You know, it's easy to tell that they are all guilty when they are talking, hoping it will save them. Clover could have shot them all just after hearing the fifth guy."
You could easily hear the voices of the knights blaming each other for their sins, for what they did to the demi-humans. Not just that, but to others without fearing the consequences since they're the guards of the lord. So Frisk believes that the world is better off than having scum around.
Frisk: "...Hey, Chara. Do you know what happened to Naofumi's shield? I don't think I saw that form before."
Chara took a glance at the shield as they finally noticed its design. Suddenly, as if a huge hit of realization had overcome Chara, they immediately became very worried.
Chara: "Frisk! Tell Naofumi to change his curse shield NOW!"
Frisk did not know why Chara had suddenly become worried, but the moment they said that the shield form was cursed they immediately went to Naofumi.
Frisk: "Naofumi! You have to switch your shield back to its previous form! Chara just told me it was cursed!"
Naofumi, who just finished off the last knight as their body was nearly unrecognizable, turns to Frisk. When he heard what Frisk said he looked at his shield. He admits it does look like it was cursed, but at the same time, he felt like he didn't want to switch it back. He finally has a weapon form that can grant his attack power.
Plus...
Your rage is your power! Imbue your rage even further!
It was like the shield had a malicious side that was locked away. A side that can only be unlocked with a powerful emotion. He was the key to unlocking it. The Curse Series, the Wrath Series, the Shield of Rage, all of it was connected to his rage, anger, and hatred.
Naofumi: "But..."
Naofumi felt like he should not switch back his shield, the voice was telling him to continue using it, and his rage. Power, strength, anything that he could ever want could be his if he allows himself to give in.
But suddenly, like a distant memory, he recalled the promise he made to Raphtalia before leaving to save her friends.
He can recall when he calmed her down after she woke up from a nightmare. He recalls that he told her what he and Frisk would be doing. He even recalls her wanting to go with him to save whoever was alive, but she was still recovering from the suffering she endured, not to mention that she was at level one.
Naofumi was able to convince her to wait in the capital until they came back with her friends. She was upset because she felt she was weak, but Naofumi assured her that he'd do everything as the Shield Hero to save the survivors. Raphtalia looked at Naofumi as she spoke with a hint of pleading and hope.
Raphtalia: "Mr. Shield Hero, please save my friends! The people of my village!"
Naofumi: "I will, and call me Naofumi."
He promised her, he promised that he'd come back with the other children. Would he be willing to break the promise he made to her after he freed her? For the power that is corrupted and power by hate. No, he would never forgive himself if he did that. Naofumi was smarter than that, he still had a mission to do.
The flames on the cursed shield began to die down as if seeing the reflection of what Naofumi was feeling. Naofumi immediately tried to change his shield but it seemed like the shield itself was refusing to switch forms. His shield began to say something.
Your anger! It's weakening! Would you refuse me?
Naofumi looked at his shield once again, it was like it did not want him to put away his rage. As if it wants him to succumb to the hate and rage. To lose himself because of the reality of the world he was summoned to. As if it wasn't supportive enough, first being taken from his home world, his home without permission to fight world-ending waves with only a shield and no training, second not being told what Frisk and Chara wanted to tell him that is very important, now this?
The legendary shield kept giving him reasons for him to distrust it. And it now wants to control him?
Naofumi: "How dare you!"
He pushed back his anger, pushed back the negativity that his shield was giving him. Letting his soul assist him in removing the remaining corruption.
Naofumi: "My rage and anger belong to me! And mine alone!"
I'll be watching. Waiting for an opportunity of weakness.
Naofumi now assumes the shield was trying to turn him into something different, a cruel version of himself. His Kindness soul felt like it was affected, but was not overthrown, it kept its trait and its identity to ensure that he'll stay true to himself. Now feeling that the corruption was nearly gone, Naofumi took the chance to switch back his shield to the Poisonous Centipede Shield.
He sighs as he now feels tired as if all of his energy were eaten by the Shield of Rage. He could not help but look around and feel uneasy. Corpses in front of him, people he killed, it should have affected him, but for some reason, he did not mind the carnage that he caused. Perhaps the Curse Series must have already dug its roots within his heart.
Naofumi: "To think all of this was caused by me."
He then noticed a hand was being offered, he saw Frisk waiting for him to grab it. Naofumi thought that he needed help standing up, he sighed as he accepted it as he was using his remaining energy to stand up.
Frisk: "Looks like the strange aura from your shield vanished."
Naofumi: "There was an aura?"
Frisk: "Yep! It kinda made me wonder what was up with that, but I had murder in my mind to fully think about it."
Naofumi hummed as he began to walk away from the murder scene, Frisk followed. They nearly accomplished what they had come here for. All that was left was to gather the corpses of the adults and take the children as far away from here as possible.
Chara: "Hey."
Naofumi and Frisk stopped for a moment as they turned to Chara. It seems they had an idea as there was an "evil" smirk on their lips.
Chara: "Why don't we rob this place while we're at it? Make sure nobody can claim anything that the piece of shit noble owns."
Now the two have the same smirks as Chara's. So the two make haste to ensure no one else will catch them. The two did know that neither of them would get any sleep tonight. Not that it mattered to them anyway.