The throne room of Melromarc trembled—not from magic.
From fear.
King Aultcray Melromarc stood before the assembled nobles, his expression pale but furious.
"They witnessed it," he said coldly. "A transformation beyond Hero authority. Beyond summoning parameters."
A crystal orb replayed the image—
A colossal titan of sand towering over the forest.
Crushing the Wave Boss.
Overpowering the sky itself.
Murmurs spread through the court.
"That is not a Shield Hero…" one noble whispered.
"That is a calamity."
The king raised his hand.
"Effective immediately, the one known as Flint Marko, the Shield Hero, is declared an enemy of the state."
Gasps echoed.
"He harbors escaped slaves."
"He defied royal command."
"He displayed power beyond the control of this kingdom."
The king's voice sharpened.
"And he stands beyond our authority."
A royal scribe unfurled a parchment.
"By decree of Melromarc, all knights and allied forces are ordered to apprehend or eliminate the Shield Hero and any who shelter him."
A heavy silence followed.
But not all were pleased.Fractures Among Heroes
Outside the throne chamber, Ren Amaki leaned against a pillar, jaw tight.
Motoyasu stormed toward him.
"You're not actually thinking of defending him, are you?!"
Ren didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he asked quietly, "Did you see him attack civilians?"
Motoyasu hesitated.
"No—but—"
"Did you see him protect them?"
Silence.
Itsuki approached slowly.
"He stopped the fireball," Itsuki admitted. "The soldiers' spell."
Ren nodded once.
"And we're declaring him the villain."
Motoyasu clenched his spear.
"He's unstable."
Ren's eyes darkened.
"So is this kingdom."
In the Forest Refuge
Far from the capital, the sand settlement stood quiet beneath a repaired sky.
Flint sat alone at the edge of the ravine, Shield resting against his arm, grains of sand shifting idly around him.
He felt it.
The change.
Not in his power.
In the air.
Raphtalia approached cautiously, steps still careful but steadier now.
"They'll come," she said softly.
Flint didn't look at her.
"I know."
Shiva ran up moments later, small hands clutching his coat.
"Are we in trouble?" she asked.
He finally looked down at her.
Yeah.
They were.
Knights would come.
Possibly heroes.
Maybe armies.
This wasn't just about him anymore.
It was about everyone hiding behind the walls he built.
He exhaled slowly.
"Guess that makes it official," he muttered.
Raphtalia tilted her head.
"What does?"
Flint stood.
Sand lifted gently around him like a protective tide.
"We're not running."
The Kingdom Moves
In the distance, banners marched.
Royal forces mobilized faster than expected.
Not just soldiers.
Mages.
Siege weapons.
Even Church representatives whispered about divine judgment.
But hidden among the mobilization—
A single cloaked figure slipped away from the capital walls.
Ren.
He moved without fanfare.
Without announcement.
His destination was clear.
He wasn't going to arrest Flint.
He was going to talk to him.
Because something was wrong.
And deep down—
Ren suspected the kingdom feared the Shield Hero not because he was dangerous…
But because he was uncontrollable.
The Calm Before the Siege
Back at the settlement, Flint pressed his hand into the ground.
Sand rippled outward, reinforcing walls, deepening tunnels, strengthening the bunker.
This time—
He wasn't building a refuge.
He was building a fortress.
The Shield pulsed faintly.
Not in warning.
In anticipation.
Above the trees, distant war horns sounded.
The kingdom had made its choice.
And so had he.The Truth Before the Siege
The forest was quiet when Ren Amaki arrived.
No banners.
No armor.
Just a sword at his side and questions in his eyes.
The sand shifted before he even reached the outer ridge.
"Easy," Ren said calmly. "I didn't come to fight."
From the dunes stepped Flint Marko, Shield resting against his arm, never removable, its surface faintly glowing in the morning light.
"You're either brave," Flint said, "or stupid."
Ren met his gaze. "I needed answers."
They stood in silence for a long moment.
Then Ren spoke.
"There are supposed to be four kingdoms," he said. "One for each Cardinal Hero. That's how the summoning agreement was written."
Flint's brow furrowed slightly.
Ren continued.
"The Shield Hero isn't meant to serve Melromarc. Historically, he's tied to Siltvelt. The demi-human nation."
Behind them, Raphtalia stiffened at the name.
Ren's voice lowered.
"The Waves are global. Every kingdom was supposed to host one hero. Cooperation was mandatory."
Flint's eyes darkened.
"So why were all four of us summoned here?"
Ren exhaled slowly.
"Because Melromarc doesn't trust the Shield."
The weight of that settled heavily.
"They centralized power," Ren continued. "If they control all four heroes, they control the response to the Waves."
"And if one doesn't obey," Flint finished quietly, "they label him a threat."
Ren nodded once.
In the distance—
War horns echoed.
Both men turned.
Through the trees, royal banners became visible.
An army.
Not a scouting party.
An army.
The Decision
Raphtalia ran up the ridge. "They're forming siege lines!"
Flint looked back at the settlement.
Hundreds of freed slaves.
Children.
Injured.
People who couldn't outrun cavalry.
He could fight.
He could win.
But not without destruction.
Not without turning the forest into a graveyard.
Ren stepped beside him.
"If you stay, it becomes a civil war."
Flint's jaw tightened.
"If I leave?"
Ren looked toward the distant plains beyond the forest.
"Siltvelt will shelter you. They revere the Shield Hero. Demi-humans rule there."
Behind them, Shiva tugged Flint's coat.
"Are we running again?"
Flint looked down at her.
"No."
He looked back at the approaching army.
"We're relocating."