Chapter 333 - The Hero of the Shield Commands

Tact: “I… haven’t lost yet!”

Tact staggers to his feet as he directs his hostility towards us.

The black miasma begins to fill the area.

Is he going to use a Curse Series?

Well, I did kill his women out of revenge.

It’s not strange for him to awaken a curse or two.

Tact: “I’ll never forgive… you all! Eri, Nellisen, Shatte, Reldia, you killed them all! I, the strongest Hero… will definitely kill you!”

Tact turns his eyes to Ren.

It appears that he believes that he will have a chance if he steals the Legendary Sword.

How nice.

For him to be able to stand after all of our beatings, is it the power of the Seven Stars?

No, it may be one of those main character powers like will-power or determination.

That’s splendid and all, but it would be nice if he were to give up soon.

I hope he realizes that he won’t be able to beat us no matter how hard he struggles.

Naofumi: “You’ll still fight? Self-proclaimed hero, who couldn’t even beat a civilian like me, your life is already at its end.”

Tact: “Cut the crap! I am… still standing! As long as I have these legendary weapons… if I don’t have enough power, I simply have to steal it!”

“Tact! Don’t lose!”

The women get lively as they start cheering for Tact.

If Tact truly had the power of Narrative Causality on his side, I bet we would be at a disadvantage.

Some miracle would happen, and he would awaken to some new power or something.

Naofumi: “I see, I see. So the fact that you’re a legendary hero is embedded this deep in your psyche.”

This is also just as planned.

And that’s why I’ll… steal away his last hope.

Naofumi: “Unfortunately, the current you won’t be able to beat Ren.”

Tact: “I won’t know if I don’t try!”

Tact takes out the Claw and prepares to release a Vanzin Claw at him.

Naofumi: “Just understand it already. The Seven Stars can’t beat the Four Legendary. And Ren won’t… no, I won’t let you.”

I put my hand on the area where my shield once hung, and concentrate.

「… I, who has understood the origin of power, a simple civilian and an average Hero, the Hero of the Shield commands.」

Just like how the body needs a soul to complete itself…

Just like how a Legendary Weapon needs a Hero…

We’re bound by a single thread. I search for the point that connects me.

To counter this separation, that was supposed to be impossible, I need to form a stronger bond.

The body was made for the soul, and the soul was forged for the body.

「Let the truth be unraveled once more. My Shield is…」

Tact’s weapon flashes, and a single light flies from his hand to mine.

A strong light fills the area and blinds everyone present.

And in my field of vision, the nostalgic Shield Icon manifests.

“Wha- Impossible!”

Before using Vanzin, Tact turns to me.

And I prepare to take his attack head-on.

“Hmph!”

Using my Shield, I repel and nullify his signature move.

Now that our lost bond has been strengthened, this attack is nothing to me.

My status has returned to that of when I had the Shield before… no, it’s risen several levels.

Though my attack power is the same as always.

Naofumi: “What’s wrong? Is your theft ability not working?”

Tact: “Impossible! How absurd! How were you able to take back the Shield!?”

Naofumi: “I said it, didn’t I? You have no way of beating me. You’re already in checkmate.”

Having seen a scene he had never expected to see in his life, Tact opens and closes his mouth again and again.

But, even so… he still has the will to fight.

Naofumi: “I can’t help it. I just want so see your face colored by despair, time and time again.”

Fohl: “Aniki, you’re making the face of a complete villain again.”

Ren: “Naofumi sure seems used to this.”

Sadina: “But that’s where Naofumi-chan’s charm lies.”

On Sadina’s words, Ren and Fohl avert their gaze.

Yes, I can understand their feelings.

Though it seems that everyone has accepted that I look like a villain.

Fohl: “Really? I think Aniki should be a bit more…”

Ren: “I think you’re wrong. I think it’s how he’s good at looking after others.”

Sadina: “Ara? Onee-san likes this Naofumi-chan too~?”

The peanut gallery should shut up.

I don’t care what you find good about me.

Naofumi: “Now then, your final hope… let me steal it from you.”

I put my hand on my Shield, and use the trump card Atlas and the Spirit of the Shield showed me.

In truth, if I had used this from the battle’s onset, the fight would already be over.

The events up until now have been but light entertainment.

Had I used it, we wouldn’t even have had to fight.

「The Hero of the Shield commands. My brethren, heed my words. Undo the foolish restraints that bind you, and awaken.」

The Claw in Tact’s hand gives off a soft light.

After confirming that, I continue.

「-Strip him of the Qualifications to command you」!

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.

It’s not just the Claw. All of the weapons in his body begin to glow.

Tact: “W-what!? What’s happening!? Gu… my power is flowing out!”

Tact can’t hide his shock from the abnormality of the situation.

In the first place, it’s wrong for a single person to assert his control over a large number of legendary weapons.

The Four and the Seven weren’t made to work like that from the beginning.

「Find wielders worthy of thine own glory」!

The seven lights from Tact… flow out, rise high into the sky, and start falling to the earth.

It’s like those wish-granting balls in a popular manga.

Oh? There’s a light flying in this direction.

Oh right, Fohl was the Hero selected by the Gauntlet, so that’s natural.

… Wait? There’s two too many.

“Eh? Ah, kya!”

“Wah? What is it?”

Light rains down on Raphtalia and Firo.

Raphtalia: “This is… a Hammer?”

Firo: “What’s this? Claws~?”

Yes. It seems that Raphtalia and Firo were selected by those I called my brethren.

Their names vanish from the list of slaves and monsters under my control.

Kitsune Woman: “W-what foolishness is this!? To steal a weapon from Tact!? Return it at once!”

Raphtalia: “Who would return such a thing!?”

Raphtalia lifts the large hammer up high and swings it downwards at the Kitsune Woman, who took up the form of a nine-tailed fox.

Raphtalia: “Let’s see… 「Thor Hammer」!”

The second Raphtalia’s hammer hits the nine-tails, lightning strikes down.

“GYAAAAAAAAAH!”

Along with the Kitsune woman’s scream, I heard a splattering sound.

“Uwah…”

It appears that Raphtalia has smashed that woman’s head.

“Rafu~.”

Raph-chan, who had been covering his ears from the monsterous sound, made a pose of victory.

I believe the other end happened at the same time.

“Die! Filo Rial Queen Candidate!”

Firo: “Whoah.”

Firo suddenly… deployed something?

It only appeared for an instant, but isn’t that the Wall that Atlas and I use?

Why is she able to use it?

No, well, Firo did train with us quite often, so…

“Eh? Ah?”

The gryphon crashes head-first into the wall.

Firo doesn’t let the chance go. She puts her foot on the Gryphon’s neck and…

「Erste Claw」?

An ominous sound echoes through the air.

And just like that, the Gryphon crashes to the ground.

Firo flaps her wings a few times and lands.

Over her feet are the Seven Star Claws.

Firo: “These are really light! Firo accidentally overdid it!”

Tact: “Turna! Ashiel! You… even took the Seven Stars from me!? What the hell is happening!?”

Tact is trembling with fear, but I don’t feel any pity in myself for him.

Naofumi: “From the start, we were merely playing around with you. Did you think that you were all that, you small fry?”

Tact: “Go to hell!”

Even so, without accepting reality, Tact was already moving to punch me.

A loud sound rings out as his hand collides with my face.

But I don’t feel anything.

Tact: “Uu… ah… ah.”

Naofumi: “With this, you aren’t a Hero, or anything more. Just try and turn around this situation.”

Having lost his Hero Status, we can execute Tact without having any negative influence on the world.

Of course, quite a few problems will pop up because of the Heroes he’s killed himself…

Naofumi: “You get it? This it the difference between a real Hero, and a wannabe. You contented yourself with your transient power, but now your age is over. Your crime of playing with the world, make up for it with your body!”

「Shield Prison! → Change Shield (Attack)」

A cage made of Shields surrounds Tact, and through my Change Shield, they all become Shields furnished with spikes.

I’m holding back to an extent where it won’t kill him, so there are no problems.

I really do want to kill him now, but there’s a reason I can’t.

At the very least, as long as the possibility exists that he’s a reincarnated individual, I can’t kill him so easily.

I need to know what god or demon is backing this bastard.