Naofumi POV
The walk back to the inn was quiet.
Nihilux led the way through the side streets, avoiding the main roads where crowds gathered. I followed a few steps behind.
At least someone believed me.
When Erhard had grabbed me by the collar, I'd thought he was about to hit me. His face had been red, his fist raised and shaking. But he hadn't. He'd just stood there, furious. When I told him in my weak voice, he believed me.
"I don't believe a word of it, kid. I am a good judge of character, and I believe you," he'd muttered as he shoved some basic stuff it into my arms. "Now get out of here before someone sees you and causes trouble."
It wasn't much. But it was more than what anyone else had done for me today.
I kept my head down and kept walking.
At one point, some guy leaning against a shop wall muttered something loud enough for us to hear. Something about "the Shield Hero" and "should be ashamed."
I felt my jaw tighten. It was so unfair, but before I could say anything, Nihilux turned his head and looked at the guy.
The man's expression went from smug to uncomfortable in about two seconds. He looked away quickly, suddenly very interested in the cobblestones at his feet.
When we finally reached the inn, the common room was half-full. Afternoon crowd. People are eating lunch, drinking, and talking amongst themselves.
The moment I stepped through the door, conversations stuttered to a stop.
Everyone turned to look towards us.
I could feel their eyes on me. Judging. Disgusted. All aimed at me.
The innkeeper behind the counter looked up, saw me, and his face went pale.
"You..." he started, his voice hesitant. "You're the Shield Hero."
"Yeah," I said flatly. "I need a room."
He looked like he wanted to refuse. His hands gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles white.
Then Nihilux stepped up beside me and turned to me.
Get a room. I'll pay.
I glanced at Nihilux, then back at the innkeeper. "One room. He's paying."
Nihilux pulled out his coin pouch and set a handful of bronze pieces on the counter.
"Second floor," he muttered, not meeting my eyes. "End of the hall."
"Thanks," I said, though it came out more bitter than I intended.
We headed upstairs.
Nihilux stopped at one of the doors near the end and gestured to it.
This one's yours.
I nodded and pushed the door open.
The room was small. Bed, table, chair, washbasin. It seemed like an exact copy of the one I had yesterday.
I set Erhard's bundle down on the bed and just stood there for a moment, staring at it.
Everything I'd bought yesterday was gone. The chainmail. My money. Even my original clothes from back home.
All of it. That damn Bitch I would make her pay.
And now I was starting over. Again. With nothing except what Nihilux was giving me.
I heard footsteps behind me. Nihilux had followed me into the room.
I turned around.
He was standing near the door, watching me with that same neutral expression he always had.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
You okay?
I let out a short, humourless laugh. "Yeah. Just great."
I know you're not.
I looked away. "What do you want me to say?"
That you're angry. That you're hurt. That this whole situation is unfair.
"Of course it's unfair!" I snapped; all of this was just so wrong. "I didn't do anything! I didn't touch her! I didn't even drink! And now everyone in this entire city thinks I'm some kind of—"
I stopped myself, jaw clenched tight.
I took a breath. Forced myself to calm down.
"Sorry," I muttered. "I just..."
Don't apologise.
I looked at him.
You have every right to be angry. What happened to you was wrong.
I wanted to believe that. I really did.
"Why are you still here?" I asked quietly.
Nihilux tilted his head slightly.
"Everyone else turned on me," I continued. "The other heroes. The king. The people in this city. Even Myne, who I thought..." I trailed off. "Why haven't you left too?"
Because I promised I'd stay with you.
"That's it?"
And because I don't think you did it.
Something in my chest loosened slightly. Something inside me felt relieved.
I didn't realise how much I needed to hear that until he said it.
"Thanks," I said, and this time I meant it.
Nihilux nodded once.
Then he moved to the window and looked outside for a moment before turning back.
Get changed. We're going out.
I blinked. "Where?"
To get you proper gear. You can't fight in just a shirt and pants.
I glanced down at myself. He had a point.
"I don't have any money," I reminded him.
I know. I'm paying.
"Nihilux—"
He raised a hand, cutting me off.
We can argue about it later. Right now, you need equipment. So let's go.
"Fine," I said. "Give me a minute."
Nihilux nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
I turned back to the bundle on the bed and started unwrapping it.
Inside was a simple set of clothes. A plain tunic, pants, and a cloak. Nothing fancy, but they were clean and in good condition.
Erhard, I will have to thank you properly when I see you.
If he weren't here, this would be all I would have to fight monsters.
Better than what I was wearing now, at least.
I changed quickly, pulling on the new clothes and fastening the cloak around my shoulders.
When I looked at myself in the small mirror above the washbasin, I barely recognised the person staring back.
The Shield Hero.
What a joke.
I shook my head and headed for the door.
Nihilux was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.
When he saw me, he straightened up and started walking.
I followed him.
.
.
.
Nihilux led me through a few more side streets until we reached a familiar storefront.
Erhard's blacksmith shop.
The sign hanging above the door showed a hammer and anvil, and I could hear the faint clanging of metal from inside even from out here.
"Why are we—" I started.
Nihilux just gestured toward the door.
I sighed and pushed it open.
I saw Erhard near the counter. His eyes widened slightly when he saw me.
"Well, well," he said, setting down his hammer. "Didn't expect to see you back here so soon, Shield kid. How come you're here?" He crossed his arms. "If you're looking for more free stuff, that's it. I don't have any more to give."
I felt my face heat up. "I'm not here for charity," I said quickly. "I just... I wanted to thank you. For believing me. For the clothes and the cloak."
Erhard's expression softened slightly. He scratched the back of his neck and looked away. "Yeah, well. Don't mention it. kid"
The door chimed again behind me.
I turned. Nihilux had entered and was standing next to me now.
Erhard looked between us, his eyebrows raised. "Who's this? Your friend?"
"Yeah," I said. "He's my party member."
"Party member, huh?" Erhard studied Nihilux for a moment. "And he is also one of the summoned—"
Blue text appeared in the air, cutting me off mid-sentence.
Just hurry up. We have one more shop to visit after this.
I blinked at the glowing words. Only I could read them, of course. English.
Nihilux reached into thin air beside him, and a rift appeared. What the… what is that?
He reached his hand inside and pulled out a large coin pouch. Heavy, from the way it sagged. He held it out to me.
Was that his inventory skill?
Buy whatever you need. I'm just going to look around the shop.
I stared at the pouch. Then at him. "Nihilux, this is—"
Take it.
I took the pouch. It was heavier than I expected. I opened it slightly and saw silver coins practically spilling out.
How much was in here?
Erhard was watching the exchange with interest. "Well, aren't you lucky, shield kid", he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Someone is already buying stuff for you."
I grunted and ignored the comment, turning my attention to the equipment displayed around the shop.
I needed armour. The cloak Erhard had given me was good, but I needed more than that if I was going to survive out there.
I started looking through the racks.
Chainmail first. Something sturdy but not too heavy. I found a set that looked like it would fit, testing the weight in my hands.
Good enough.
Then some proper adventuring clothes. A decent shirt, pants that wouldn't tear the first time I got into a fight. Good boots with reinforced soles.
Light armour for my arms and legs. Leather guards that would offer some protection.
I kept the cloak Erhard had given me. I wasn't going to replace that.
It meant something.
By the time I was done, I had a decent pile of equipment on the counter.
Erhard tallied it up, scratching numbers onto a piece of parchment with a piece of charcoal.
Hopefully it wasn't much. I tried to get the cheapest looking stuff I could find.
"Let's see... chainmail, leather guards, boots, shirt, pants..." He paused, looking over the list. "Normally this'd run you about 500 silver." He glanced at me, then back at the list. "But I'll give you a discount. Call it 400."
I blinked. "A discount?"
"Yeah, a discount," he said gruffly. "Consider it a one-time deal. You're starting from scratch, and that's not your fault." He crossed his arms. "Don't expect it again, though."
"I... thanks," I said, genuinely surprised.
I counted out 400 silvers from the pouch Nihilux had given me and set it on the counter.
Erhard scooped it up and tucked it into a drawer behind the counter. "Pleasure doing business with you, Shield kid. Now get out of here before I change my mind."
I gathered up the equipment and turned to leave.
Nihilux was standing near the back of the shop, looking at some of the weapons on display. It had many types of swords. I think that's silver steel from what I learned yesterday.
He glanced over when I approached.
"Find what you were looking for?" I asked.
He shook his head.
Nothing much. Maybe we'll come back later to buy something for myself.
"Alright," I said. "What's the next shop?"
You'll see.
He started walking toward the door, and I followed, carrying my new gear.
As we left, I glanced back at Erhard. He was already back at the forge, hammering away at something on the anvil.
At least there was one perso- no two people in this world I could trust.
That was something.
.
.
.
"Can we go back to the inn now?" I asked. "I need to actually put this armour on."
Nihilux shook his head.
Not yet. One more stop.
"Where?"
You'll see.
He started walking, and I followed, wondering what else he had planned.
.
.
.
The next stop turned out to be a general goods store.
Inside, Nihilux pointed at various items, and I grabbed them. A bedroll, waterskin. Some basic travel supplies. Ropes, A small cooking pot. And many more items.
It was a lot of things, well from the looks of it, he wants me to buy them since we would probably have to travel around a lot.
The shopkeeper here didn't seem to recognise me, or if he did, he didn't care enough to say anything. He just rang up our purchases and took Nihilux's money without comment.
By the time we left, I was carrying a lot more in my inventory than I'd walked in with.
"This is too much," I said as we headed back toward the inn. "You've already spent so much on me."
Nihilux glanced at me.
You need it.
"But—"
We can argue about paying me back after the first Wave. For now, just focus on getting stronger.
I wanted to keep protesting. To say something about how I hated being in debt to him.
.
.
.
Back at the inn, I headed straight to my room and started putting on the armour.
The chainmail went on first, heavy but familiar. I'd worn it yesterday, so I knew how it was supposed to sit.
The leather guards came next. Strapped around my arms and legs, offering some extra protection without weighing me down too much.
When I was done, I looked at myself in the mirror again.
Better.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," I said.
Nihilux pushed the door open and stepped inside. He looked me over, then nodded in approval.
Ready?
"For what?"
To go fight some balloons.
I blinked. "Now? It's already afternoon."
So? We've still got a few hours of daylight left. Might as well use them.
I glanced out the window. The sun was still relatively high in the sky.
He had a point.
"Fine," I said. "Let's go."
.
.
.
We left the city through the main gate and headed east, back toward the fields where we'd trained yesterday.
The walk was quiet. Nihilux floated a few feet ahead of me whie eating something, hands in his pockets, apparently unbothered by the fact that he was literally flying in broad daylight.
A few travelers on the road stared at him as we passed. One merchant even stopped his cart to gawk.
he ignored them all.
When we reached the fields, I could already see the balloons in the distance. Orange ones, mostly. A few yellow ones mixed in and a few red ones as well.
"Same plan as yesterday?" I asked.
Nihilux shook his head.
Different plan.
"What's different?"
I'm going to bring them to you. You kill them.
I frowned. "That's basically what we did yesterday."
No. Yesterday, I killed most of them. Today, you're doing it.
"But I can barely hurt them," I pointed out. "It took me five minutes to kill a single balloon by punching it."
Then you'll get faster.
"Fine," I said. "Let's do it."
Nihilux nodded and floated forward.
A moment later, three Orange Balloons lifted off the ground and flew toward me, like they were being pulled by invisible strings.
They stopped about ten feet in front of me, bobbing angrily in the air.
I raised my shield and stepped forward.
The first balloon lunged at me, and I blocked it easily. The impact barely registered.
Then I swung my fist and punched it as hard as I could.
The balloon wobbled but didn't pop.
I punched it again. And again.
On the 10th hit, it finally burst with a loud pop, leaving behind a small scrap of orange material.
+7 EXP
7 experience points.
For 10 punches.
This was going to take forever.
The second balloon came at me, and I repeated the process. Block. Punch. Punch. Punch. Pop.
+7 EXP
By the time I finished the 8th one it have already been around 20 mins.
"This sucks," I muttered.
Nihilux, who had been floating nearby watching, drifted closer.
You're doing fine.
"I'm barely doing anything," I said. "You could kill ten of these things in the time it takes me to kill one."
So?
You're level 7 right now. By the end of today, you'll be level 10.
I looked at him. "How do you know I'll hit level 10?"
Because I'm going to make sure you do.
Before I could respond, more balloons lifted off the ground and floated toward my face.
I sighed and raised my shield again.
.
.
.
An hour passed.
Then another.
Nihilux kept bringing balloons to me, three or four at a time, and I kept punching them until they popped.
My arms were starting to get tired by now.
But I was levelling up.
Level 8.
Level 9.
I checked my status screen during a brief break and let out a long breath.
"I'm exhausted," I said, shaking out my hands. "I don't know if I can keep going."
Nihilux floated over.
Text appeared.
Keep trying. You're almost there.
"But—"
Trust me.
Before I could argue, he shot up into the air, flying off toward a cluster of balloons further out in the field.
I stared after him. "What the hell?"
He was just... leaving me here?
I looked around. There were still a few Orange Balloons nearby, bobbing lazily in the air.
Fine. I'd keep going.
I raised my shield and went after the nearest one.
Block. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Pop.
+7 EXP
Another one.
Block. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch. Pop.
+7 EXP
My arms felt like lead. I just reached level 9. This is going to take forever to reach level 10.
Then, suddenly—
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
I blinked as notifications started flooding my vision.
What the hell?
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
They kept coming. One after another. Rapid-fire.
LEVEL UP!
Level 10.
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
.
.
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
LEVEL UP!
Level 11.
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
.
.
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
"What the—"
The notifications kept rolling in. Dozens of them. Maybe more.
I looked up, trying to see what was happening.
In the distance, I could see Nihilux floating above the field. Balloons were lifting off the ground all around him, dozens of them, and then they were just... bursting. All at once. Popping in mid-air.
He was killing them. A lot of them. Fast.
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
+7 EXP
LEVEL UP!
Level 12.
The notifications finally slowed, then stopped.
I stood there, breathing hard, staring at my status screen.
Level 12.
Nihilux floated back over and landed in front of me.
I just stared at him.
"You just..." I started. "You killed all of them?"
You reached level 10. I said I'd make sure you did.
"I'm level twelve now," I said, still processing.
Even better.
I didn't know what to say to that.
I was exhausted and hungry.
But I was level 12.
"Thanks," I said finally.
Nihilux nodded.
We've got a bit more time before sunset. Let's head to the market. You can sell the balloon scraps.
I looked at my inventory. I'd been collecting the scraps as I went, and by now I had a decent pile of them. And he also gave me all the balloon scraps he collected.
"Yeah, okay," I said, standing up slowly. "Let's do that."
We started walking back toward the city.
.
.
.
We were about halfway back when the sky darkened.
I looked up. Clouds. Thick, heavy ones, rolling in fast.
"Is it going to—"
The first drop hit my face.
Then another.
Then it started pouring.
"Damn it," I muttered, pulling my cloak tighter around myself.
Forest over there.
He pointed toward the tree line about a hundred meters to our left.
We ran for it.
By the time we reached the cover of the trees, I was soaked. Water dripped from my hair, my cloak, everything.
Nihilux, of course, was completely dry.
"Lucky bastard," I muttered.
He just shrugged.
I leaned against a tree and waited for the rain to let up.
While I was standing there, I noticed something growing at the base of the tree. A small cluster of plants with broad green leaves.
Medicinal herbs, maybe?
I crouched down and picked one, carefully pulling it free from the soil.
The moment I did, a notification appeared.
NEW SHIELD UNLOCKED: Leaf Shield
Requirements: 5 Medicinal Herbs
I blinked. "Huh."
Nihilux looked over.
What?
"I just unlocked a new shield," I said, standing up. "Leaf Shield. Apparently, I needed to collect five medicinal herbs."
I opened my status menu and checked the new shield's stats.
Leaf Shield
Effect: Increases the quality of plants harvested when equipped.
"That's... actually useful," I said, surprised.
Nihilux tilted his head slightly, curious.
I explained the effect to him.
He nodded.
Collect more. We can sell them later.
I looked around. Now that I was paying attention, I could see more of the plants growing throughout the forest.
I spent the next few minutes gathering them, equipping the Leaf Shield as I went.
By the time the rain finally stopped, I'd collected a decent amount.
We stepped out of the forest and started walking again.
The sun was lower now, maybe an hour until it set completely.
"Still want to hit the market?" I asked.
Nihilux nodded.
Yeah. Let's go.
.
.
.
The market district was still busy when we arrived, despite the rain.
Merchants were calling out their wares, customers haggling over prices, the usual chaos of a city marketplace.
I headed for the shop that specialised in buying monster loot. The same one Erhard had recommended yesterday.
Inside, the shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a permanent scowl.
He looked up when I entered. His expression immediately soured.
"You're the Shield Hero," he said flatly.
"Yeah," I said. "I've got some balloon scraps to sell."
I pulled out the scraps from my inventory and set them on the counter.
The shopkeeper looked at them.
"Normally I'd offer one bronze for every two scraps," he said slowly. "But for you? One bronze for every ten."
I stared at him. "What?"
"You heard me."
"That's a scam," I said. "You just said yourself the normal rate is one for two."
"Yeah, well, normal people aren't accused of being rapists." He leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "Take it or leave it."
I felt anger flare up in my chest. "I didn't—"
"Don't care," he interrupted. "One for ten. Final offer."
I grabbed the scraps off the counter and shoved them back into my inventory.
"Forget it," I muttered, turning to leave.
Outside, I stood there for a moment, fists clenched.
Nihilux walked over to me.
What happened?
"He tried to scam me," I said. "Offered one bronze for every ten scraps instead of the normal rate."
Nihilux frowned.
Because you're the Shield Hero.
"Yeah."
I'd spent all day fighting balloons, and I couldn't even sell the damn loot because everyone in this city thinks I was a criminal.
Come on. Let's head back to the inn.
I nodded and started walking.
.
.
.
When we got back to the inn, the common room was packed with people.
Dinner crowd.
I kept my head down and headed straight for the stairs, not wanting to deal with the stares.
But Nihilux grabbed my arm before I could go up.
I looked at him, confused.
He gestured toward one of the empty tables near the back.
Sit. I'll order you some food.
"Nihilux, I don't—"
Sit.
I sighed and sat down at the table.
Nihilux walked over to the bar and waved down one of the servers.
A minute later, he came back and sat across from me.
Food's on the way.
"Thanks," I said quietly.
He nodded.
Give me all the scraps. And the herbs you collected today.
I frowned. "Why?"
I'm going to sell them. I'll be back in an hour. Just eat and head to your room after. I'll meet you there.
"Wait, you're going to—"
He stood up before I could finish.
Trust me.
And then he walked out of the inn.
I sat there for a moment, processing.
He was going to sell the loot for me.
Because I couldn't do it myself.
Because everyone in this city hated me.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling.
A few minutes later, the server brought over a plate of food. Roasted chicken, some kind of vegetable stew, and a mug of water.
I ate slowly, not really tasting any of it. After what happened, he can't feel the taste in anything he eats.
By the time I finished, the common room had gotten even louder. More people are drinking, laughing, and talking.
.
.
.
I pulled up my status screen, trying to ignore everyone around me.
Level 12 now. That was something, at least.
I navigated to the shield menu. All the different forms I'd unlocked so far appeared in a list. Small Shield. Ballon shields, Rope Shield. And the newest one Leaf Shield.
I selected it and read through the description.
Equip Bonus: Absorption Ability Up 1
Interesting.
So equip bonuses were special abilities that activated while a particular weapon form was equipped. If I had a shield with "defence up 3," my defence would increase by 3 while that shield was active.
And apparently, some abilities could be used even when I switched to a different form, if I'd unlocked them first.
The world really was like a video game.
Despite everything, I found the Leaf Shield's bonus attractive. "Absorption Ability Up 1" meant I could gather better quality materials when I picked herbs and plants.
I closed the menu and leaned back in my chair.
The noise around me was getting worse. More people were arriving for dinner, and the conversations were getting louder.
I felt suffocated.
I needed to get out of here.
I stood up, left the empty plate on the table, and headed for the door.
.
.
.
The evening air was cooler than I expected.
I pulled my cloak tighter around myself and started walking.
No destination in mind. I started walking just... away from the inn.
The streets were still busy, but at least out here, people weren't all focused on me. A few glanced my way, recognised me, and quickly looked away. But most were too caught up in their own business to care.
I turned down a side street, then another, letting my feet carry me wherever.
Eventually, I found myself in a quieter part of the city.
"You seem troubled, sir."
I stopped.
A strange man was standing in the mouth of an alley, looking at me.
He was... odd. Very odd.
He wore a silk hat and coattails, dressed like some kind of Victorian gentleman. Absurdly obese, with polished glasses perched on his nose. He looked completely out of place in this medieval fantasy world.
He didn't fit at all.
I decided to ignore him and kept walking.
"You need help," he said behind me.
I stopped in my tracks.
He knew exactly what to say.
"That's why you can't hunt stronger monsters," he continued.
Everything he said annoyed me.
I turned around. "I'm not sure what that has to do with you."
"If I helped with recruitment, you might still stand a chance."
I didn't have the funds or the desire to hire a greedy capitalist.
"Party members?" I said flatly. "I don't have the money."
"Ahaha, no. I will provide you with something far more useful."
"For example?"
The man slid closer in my direction.
"Interested?"
"Don't stand so close, you creep."
"Ahaha. I like you, kid. Fine then, I'll tell you."
The gentleman puffed out his chest, looking very important, spun his walking stick, and pontificated, "A SLAVE!"
"A slave?"
"Yes, a slave."
A slave.
I'd heard of them before, obviously. They used to exist in the real world. And they showed up in games and manga from time to time.
Basically, you could own other people. Like furniture. Force them to do labour for you.
Did that mean slaves were bought and sold here?
"They do not lie," the man said, his smile widening. "And they do not betray their masters."
Hmm.
"Slaves are under a powerful curse. If they contradict or betray their masters, they must pay with their very lives."
I felt something shift in my chest.
If they disobey, they die.
That was exactly what I needed. Someone who wouldn't use me. Someone who didn't have any funny ideas.
My attack was too weak. I needed help. But people betray you. I couldn't afford to pay them.
But a slave wouldn't betray me. Because betrayal meant death.
And... I needed someone who was mine. Not just borrowed.
Nihilux had been helping me. Paying for everything. My gear, my room, my food. He'd even power-levelled me today.
But he'd said it himself. He'd stay until the first Wave.
Until.
Not after. Until.
What happened when the Wave was over? Would he leave? Join one of the other heroes?
I didn't know. And I didn't want to ask. Because if I asked and he said yes, then what?
I couldn't keep relying on him forever. I needed to be able to stand on my own.
I needed someone who would stay. Someone I could build my own strength with.
Someone who was mine to train and rely on, not someone who might disappear.
"What do you think?" the man asked.
I looked at him for a long moment.
"I'll hear you out."
He smiled. "Right this way, sir."
.
.
.
He led me down a back alley.
The deeper we went, the worse it got.
Scruffy, dangerous-looking people lined the streets. The air was filled with aggressive shouts and the sound of things breaking. It smelled terrible.
Apparently, this world had a dark side too.
The slave trader walked with a creepy air about him. It was something like skipping, but he spent more time in the air. He led me toward a large circus tent and pulled back the flap.
"Let's get this out of the way up front," I said. "If you're tricking me—"
"You'll cause a ruckus and then run off, eh? Or will you shout for your floating friend to come and save you again?"
"To be fair, there were those who wanted a Hero, like yourself, as a slave for themselves. I had originally approached you with that goal in mind, but since then I've had a change of heart."
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you have all the qualifications of an excellent client. ALL the qualifications: both good and bad."
"What do you mean?"
"I wonder. What DO I mean?"
The guy was slippery. What did he want from me?
There was a metallic clank, and then a very heavy-looking door swung open.
"Whoa..."
The interior was dim, and the smell of rot hung faintly in the air. I also smelled animals. It didn't seem to be a very nice place.
There were a number of cages in the room, and human-like shapes moved within them.
"Now then, this one, right over here, I can recommend very highly to you."
I moved closer to the cage he indicated and looked inside.
"Guoooow... Gah!"
"That's not a human!"
Inside was something covered in thick hair, with sharp fangs and claws. It looked something like a werewolf, and it was howling.
"It is a beast-man. Here, we consider them, in most respects, people."
"A beast-man?"
I recognised the idea. Beastmen characters appeared often enough in fantasy games.
"I realise that I'm a hero and all, but I still don't know all that much about this place. Can you tell me a little more about it, please?"
Unlike the other heroes, I didn't really know anything about this world. I didn't even know what I was supposed to know.
When I was walking around town, I'd noticed some people with dog ears or cat-like ears on their heads. Every time I saw them, I'd realize I really was in a fantasy world. But there didn't seem to be very many of them.
"The Melromarc Kingdom tends to consider humans as higher order creatures than these other types. It can be a tough place for beast-men and demi-humans to live."
"Huh..."
Sure enough, I saw demi-humans and beast-men around town, but they were normally adventurers or traveling merchants. So they were discriminated against, and were only able to obtain lower-level work.
"Ok, fine. But what exactly are these demi-humans and beast-men?"
"Demi-humans look just like humans from the outside, but they have some differences on the inside. They are considered a type of human. Beast-men are technically a type of demi-human, the sort whose beast-like characteristics are particularly powerful."
"Gotcha. So they're in the same category."
"That's right. And because the demi-humans are, at least in this country, considered to be one step away from monsters, it's hard for them to live here, and they often end up sold into slavery."
I guess every world has its dark side. And because they weren't technically humans, they were perfectly suited for slavery here.
"So yes, and these slaves have this particular feature..." The slave trader snapped his fingers loudly. When he did so, a magical aura appeared around his arm, and at the same time, some shape on the chest of the werewolf began to glow.
"Arrrgggh! Awooo! Awooo!"
The werewolf began howling in pain, as if something was restricting its chest.
The slave trader snapped his fingers again, and the glowing shape on the wolf's chest slowly faded away.
"... Punishment is as simple as a snap of your fingers."
"How convenient," I whispered, my eyes on the werewolf, now sprawled face-up on the floor of its cage. "Can I do it too?"
"Naturally. It can even be arranged so that a snap of the fingers is not necessary. It can be worked right into your Status Magic."
"Huh..."
It did seem very convenient.
"However, a ceremony is necessary. The owner's information must be shared with and absorbed by the slave."
"So that the slave can always understand the owner's intention?"
"You have a very good head on your shoulders."
The slave trader flashed a sinister smile.
He made me uncomfortable.
"Sounds fine to me. How much does this one cost?"
"Well you must understand how useful a beast-man is in a fight. Naturally, this affects the price."
No doubt, gossip concerning my finances had reached the guy's ears. He could say whatever he wanted. I wasn't going to start throwing money around.
Think about it: He knew I was in trouble, and he approached me. There was a good chance he was going to try and swindle me.
"How about 15 gold pieces?"
"I don't know anything about the market price, but I assume you're giving me a good deal?"
One gold piece was apparently worth around 100 pieces of silver.
There was a reason the king provided our funds in silver, not gold. The gold pieces were worth so much that they were very difficult to exchange. It was much easier to buy and sell in silver.
"Of course."
"..."
The slave trader met my silence with a deep smile.
"You know that I can't afford that, so you started with the most expensive one, right?"
"Yes, well, I can tell you are going to be a great customer regardless. I would be a poor businessman if I didn't start with our best wares."
This guy was slimy.
"For your own information, please take a look at this slave's information."
He held out a small crystal to me. I noticed a flashing icon, and soon enough words appeared before my eyes.
Battle Slave: LV 75 Race: Wolfman
It went on at some length about the slave's various skills.
Level 75... That was over six times my own level.
If this guy were on my team, my life would be so much easier.
I might end up stronger than the other heroes.
I had no way to know if that justified the price though.
He didn't really look very healthy anyway, and he might end up getting in my way. I wonder if that was why the price was so low?
"He used to fight in the Coliseum. He hurt his leg, though, so they were going to dispose of him. That's when I stepped in and bought him."
"You don't say..."
So it was damaged goods. His level didn't really matter then.
"Now then, I've shown you my best. Tell me, sir, what kind of slave are you interested in?"
"A cheap one, that isn't broken."
"We have slaves specialized for battle or for physical labor. Or, if my intuition proves correct..."
"I didn't do it!"
"Heh, heh, heh, yes, well... I'm not concerned one way or the other. But which type is your preference?"
"This is crazy. Anything but a sex slave, please."
"Heh... I guess the rumors were false?"
"... I didn't do it."
Yeah, I could say whatever I want. I didn't do it.
What I needed was someone that could attack monsters for me. That's it. If they were good for something else, that didn't matter. If I could survive the night, and the next day... that was enough.
"Do you have a preferred gender?"
"I think a man would be better, but I don't really care."
The slave trader scratched at his chin. "I know of one, but they wouldn't be so good for your... personal pleasures."
"I don't care about that."
"The level isn't very high."
"If they can fight, we'll level up together."
"Good answer... even though you don't trust people. With that one exception, of course."
"Slaves aren't people, are they? If I'm levelling up an object, it's just like levelling up my shield. I'll raise something that won't betray me."
"You got me there," he said, suppressing a giggle. "Right this way then."
We walked through the shop, which was lined on both sides with long rows of cages. Eventually the shouts and smells died down, and we entered a quieter area of the shop.
... Or so I thought. Soon the room was filled with the sound of crying children.
I looked around and saw cages filled with children and older demi-humans. They looked miserable.
The slave trader continued to lead me along until he suddenly came to a stop.
"This is the cheapest slave I can offer you today, sir."
I looked into the cage he indicated.
Three demi-human children sat inside, huddled together.
The one in the middle caught my eye immediately.
A raccoon-type girl. Young. Maybe ten years old. She had large, terrified eyes and was shaking.
She was suffering from panic attacks, clearly.
I caught her eye. And I realized, looking into her eyes, how I felt.
Yes. This thing was a woman, the same gender as the one who betrayed me.
I looked into her scared eyes and immediately thought that I wanted to control her. I thought I could just pretend that I'd turned Myne into a slave... If she died, it might make me feel better.
No.
I stopped that thought immediately.
What the hell was I thinking?
This was a child. A terrified child.
Not Myne. Not the woman who betrayed me.
Just a scared kid.
And besides... Nihilux would probably kill me if he found out I'd enslaved a child.
I could picture it clearly. That blank expression he always wore. Those glowing blue words appearing in the air.
You did what?
And then I'd be floating ten feet off the ground with broken bones before I could even try to explain.
No. Definitely not worth it.
I took a breath and forced myself to think clearly.
"All right then," I said. "I'll take the middle one."
"An excellent choice, and it makes my life easier too."
The slave trader produced a key and opened her cage. She stepped out, and he put a collar around her neck. She let out a small yelp.
I looked at her, quivering in fear.
This wasn't about revenge. This was about survival.
I needed someone who could fight. Someone who wouldn't betray me.
That's all.
The slave trader took the girl, her collar attached to a chain, and pulled her behind us as we returned to the street we came from. We exited the circus tent and were in the alley again.
He called for some people who appeared immediately. They were carrying a jar that appeared to be full of ink. They transferred a little ink to a small dish and pushed it in my direction.
"Hero, please give us a little blood. Then the slave registration will be complete, and she will be yours."
I looked at the dish. Then at the girl.
Then I shook my head.
"No."
The slave trader blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I'm not doing the slave crest."
"I'm afraid I don't understand," he said, his smile faltering. "The slave crest is necessary for—"
"I know what it's for," I interrupted. "But I'm not using it."
"Sir, I cannot sell a slave without the crest. It's against the law. The crest is what binds them, what prevents them from running away or betraying—"
"Then put the crest on first," I said. "Complete the registration. And then I'll pay you to remove it immediately after."
The slave trader stared at me.
"You... want to remove the crest?"
"Yes."
"But then she won't be bound to you. She could run away. She could—"
"I know," I said. "Do it anyway."
He looked at me like I was insane.
Maybe I was.
But I couldn't do it. I couldn't put that crest on her and leave it there.
I'd been betrayed. Used. Accused of things I didn't do.
And now I was supposed to turn around and enslave a child?
No.
If she wanted to stay and fight with me, she could choose that. Freely.
And if she wanted to run, then... fine. Let her run.
The slave trader scratched his head. "This is highly irregular."
"Can you do it or not?"
He sighed. "Yes. I can. But the removal fee will be extra."
"How much?"
"Thirty silver for the slave. Five silvers for the crest removal."
Thirty-five silver total.
I still had money left from what Nihilux had given me. More than enough.
"Fine," I said. "Do it."
The slave trader looked at me for a long moment, then shrugged. "Your money, sir."
He gestured for the girl to step forward.
She did, trembling.
He pricked my finger with a small knife, collected a drop of blood in the ink, and began painting a symbol on her chest.
The girl flinched but didn't cry out.
When the symbol was complete, it glowed faintly, then faded into her skin.
"The crest is set," the slave trader said. "She is now bound to you."
"Good. Now remove it."
He sighed again and pulled out a different jar. Some kind of solvent, maybe.
He applied it to the crest on her chest, muttering something under his breath.
The symbol began to glow again, brighter this time, then slowly faded away completely.
"Done," he said. "The crest is removed. She is no longer bound."
I handed him thirty-five silvers.
He counted it, nodded, and pocketed the coins.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Shield Hero. Though I must say, you are the strangest customer I've ever had."
I ignored him and looked down at the girl.
She was staring at her chest, where the crest had been. Her eyes were wide.
"You're free," I said quietly. "You can leave if you want."
She looked up at me, confused.
"I'm not going to force you to do anything," I continued.
Nihilux would kill me if I did.
"But if you want to stay and fight with me, I'll feed you. I'll protect you. I'll take care of you, and we'll get stronger together."
She didn't say anything. Just kept staring at me.
"It's your choice," I said.
Then I turned and started walking back toward the inn.
After a moment, I heard small footsteps behind me.
I glanced back.
She was following me.
I didn't say anything. Just kept walking.
And she kept following.
.
.
.
As Naofumi walked away, the girl following hesitantly behind him, the slave trader watched them disappear around the corner.
Then he started laughing.
A low, delighted chuckle that grew into something almost gleeful.
"So he really did choose her," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it."
He turned to head back into his tent, still grinning.
Then he felt it.
A shadow moved behind him.
The slave trader stopped mid-step and slowly turned around.
A figure stood in the darkness of the alley. Silhouetted. Cloaked. Impossible to make out any features in the dim light.
The slave trader's grin widened. "Well, I could say I've taken care of my side of the bargain."
The figure didn't speak.
Instead, they reached into their cloak and pulled out a small bag. Heavy, from the sound it made.
They tossed it to him.
The slave trader caught it easily and opened it just enough to peek inside.
Silver coins. A lot of them.
Far more than thirty-five silvers.
"Oh, my," the slave trader said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "I must say it was my pleasure doing business with you."
The figure tilted their head slightly.
Then they turned and melted back into the shadows, disappearing as silently as they'd appeared.
The slave trader stood there for a moment, weighing the bag of coins in his hand.
Then he laughed again, softer this time, and tucked the bag into his coat.
"What an interesting night," he murmured, turning back toward his tent. "What an interesting night indeed."
Nihiux POV
As I walked through the market district, weaving between stalls and avoiding the evening crowd.
That feeling was back again.
Eyes on me. Watching.
I'd felt it on and off throughout the day. A presence.
I stopped near a fruit vendor's stall and focused my psychic perception, pushing it outward, trying to pinpoint the source.
Nothing.
The sensation vanished the moment I tried to lock onto it.
I frowned and kept walking.
Whoever was watching me, was good. Very, fucking good.
My esper powers could sense people through walls, track their surface thoughts, feel their intentions from dozens of meters away. But this? Every time I tried to focus on the gaze, it disappeared like smoke.
And that pissed me off.
I was already in a bad mood.
Naofumi's reputation was getting worse.
I could feel it. The emotions of everyone passing by. The people in the nearby shops. Normally, I wouldn't activate my telepathy just to scan random crowds it was exhausting and invasive but I'd let it slip on by accident and decided to get a feel for everyone around me.
Naofumi's reputation was in the dumps. Accused rapist. Shield Hero.
Basically, people thought he was scum.
Mine wasn't much better.
A lot of people thought I was weird. That much was expected.
But some also thought I was complicit. An accomplice. That I stayed with the Shield Hero because I was involved somehow.
Others thought I pitied him. That I was some kind of charity case helper.
A few thought I was just plain stupid.
I cleared those thoughts from my mind and deactivated the ability. The mental noise cut off immediately, and the relief was instant.
I'd just sold all the balloon scraps I'd taken from Naofumi. Got a reasonable price for them too. The shop owner didn't recognise me, or maybe he didn't care who I was associated with, so he just paid me and moved on to the next customer.
Now I was making my way back toward the inn.
But that wasn't really my main concern right now.
Ever since we came back from the field, I'd opened my status window.
This was probably the third or fourth time I'd actually checked it since arriving in this world.
And I'd noticed something wrong.
My level wasn't increasing.
At all.
It still said Level 1. And next to it, that same glitched text I'd seen before.
Level: 1-%@R&#*
I stopped at the edge of the market square, staring at the status window that only I could see.
Why wasn't my level increasing?
I'd killed dozens of balloons today. Maybe a hundred. Naofumi had jumped to level 12 just from the party share alone.
So where was mine?
Was it because I needed significantly more experience? Like, astronomically higher than what Naofumi needed?
Or was there some condition I had to meet first?
I didn't know.
And that pissed me off even more.
Combined with whoever the fuck was watching me from the shadows, this day was turning into a real annoyance.
I stood there for a moment, letting the crowd flow around me, and decided not to think about it too much.
Even though my level wasn't increasing, I could feel the difference.
Since coming to this world, I'd been using my abilities constantly. More than I ever had back home. Telekinesis, telepathy, psychic perception, barriers, all of it.
And my control had improved. A lot.
I could tell.
My range had expanded. My precision had sharpened.
And my EP pool the energy I drew from for my powers I could feel it was higher than before. Not by much. But it was there. A slow and steady increase.
So even though my level wasn't going up, my power was still greater than before.
I read somewhere that the older an Esper gets, the stronger they become and the slower the ageing. Which, in theory should add back to getting stronger.
But considering I read that from a comic, I wonder if it would be like that for me.
That was something.
Maybe the level didn't matter for me. Maybe my growth worked differently.
I resumed walking.
The inn was just ahead now. I could see the sign hanging above the door, swaying slightly in the evening breeze.
Naofumi was probably back in his room by now.
Then a stray thought crossed my mind.
Didn't Naofumi have a demi-human girl with him in the anime?
I tried to remember. My memory of the show was fuzzy at best.
But yeah. There was definitely a girl. A fox? No, raccoon, maybe. Or was it a tanuki?
Whatever. Some kind of animal-eared girl.
But where did he get her from?
Did he save her from bandits in the middle of the forest? Like some damsel in distress?
Or some other cliché event?
Ugh. See, this is the fucking problem with most anime. All the same overused crap from oneshow to another.
I hope this world doesn't have slaves. But judging how common it was in anime, who knows.
I pushed open the door to the inn and stepped inside.
Made my way upstairs and down the hallway to Naofumi's room.
I knocked once, then opened the door without waiting for a response.
And stopped.
Naofumi was standing near the bed.
And next to him was a small demi-human girl.
Raccoon ears. Brown hair, ragged clothes. She looked a little scared.
She was in the middle of saying something.
I stared.
What.
Where did she come from?
I looked at Naofumi.
Then back at the girl.
Then at Naofumi again.
Oh no.
Oh no.
Please tell me he didn't—
=======================================
Author notes~~
HOLY i finally finished episode 1 from the anime.
damn this took a while. I think we are at around 35k words??? maybe more??
Before you guys try to kidnap me, I promise to pick up the pace from here on out. just a little.
I will try to finish the next episode from anime in the next chapter.
I want to give Nihilux some new abilities, but nothing really too op, that completely changes the powerscaling for the whole story. So comment your ideas for me and how he would get them.