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Wandering of a Sword Hero by A Dyslexic Writer
 Fate/stay night & Rising of the Shield Hero/盾の勇者の成り上がり Xover Rated: M, English, Shirō E., Firo, Words: 221k+, Favs: 7k+, Follows: 8k+, Published: Jan 27, 2019 Updated: Sep 22, 2019 8,517Chapter 23
"I think that was the last of them." Rita said with a sigh as she pulled her spear out of the corpse of an eight-foot-tall green ant.
"Rita, you are never supposed to say those words before you have even checked." Shirou said with a small smile as the ground began to shake. The earth was pushed up as an even larger ant climbed out from underneath them, its pincers clacking. The creature shook itself, sending bits of dirt flying all around it before it spread its wings, preparing to take flight.
"Earthen Flare." "Tzuvait Tornado!"
Green flames grew from the ground, spreading across the monster's outer shell, quickly fed by the summoned winds in order to grow into a fire storm the quickly cooked the creature alive, its liquidous insides of it expanding so fast that it caused the monster to burst outwards from its shell, popping like a balloon.
"We got it!" Firo cheered, with Azu giving a nod of confirmation.
Firo and Azu had bonded over the last week sleeping together in their pajamas and collecting random objects to hide throughout the carriage. It seemed that the tendency for birds to accept anything they find in their nest at the moment of waking as part of the flock overcame the instinct against dragons, and Azu seemed to have a similar ingrained instinct from her grandfather's side of the family. They still had a bit of competitive spirit between them, but they no longer had their passive aggressive spats.
"No more monsters drawling on the power of the Dragon's Pulse. That was the last of them." Azu said with certainty.
"Alright then. We'll keep the head of the big one as proof of the job's completion. Jian, the rest is yours." Shirou said before starting to absorb the various corpses from around the battlefield.
Jian didn't even wait for instructions. She quickly absorbed the corpses whole before dismantling them and then processing the individual pieces a second time.
Requirement met: [Worker Green Lion Ant Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 3 – Equip Bonus: Attack +1 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Worker Green Lion Ant Plate Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 2 – Equip Bonus: Defense +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Worker Green Lion Ant Pincer Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 5 – Equip Bonus: Speed +1, Attack +1 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Worker Green Lion Ant Claw Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 4 – Equip Bonus: Dexterity +2, Attack +1 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Worker Green Lion Ant Meat Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 2 – Equip Bonus: Cooking +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Soldier Green Lion Ant Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 6 – Equip Bonus: Attack +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Soldier Green Lion Ant Plate Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 5 – Equip Bonus: Defense +3 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Soldier Green Lion Ant Pincer Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 8 – Equip Bonus: Speed +2, Attack +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Soldier Green Lion Ant Claw Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 8 – Equip Bonus: Dexterity +4, Attack +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Soldier Green Lion Ant Meat Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 2 – Equip Bonus: Cooking +2 (mastered)]
Requirement met: [Queen Green Lion Ant Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 12 – Equip Bonus: Attack +4 (unmastered)]
Requirement met: [Queen Green Lion Ant Plate Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 10 – Equip Bonus: Defense +4 (unmastered)]
Requirement met: [Queen Green Lion Ant Claw Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 16 – Equip Bonus: Dexterity +8, Attack +4 (unmastered)]
Requirement met: [Queen Green Lion Ant Meat Sword Unlocked – Base Power: 4 – Equip Bonus: Cooking +4 (unmastered)]
It had been an important discovery that Rita had made by observing Naofumi's behavior, in that rather than absorbing the monsters whole, Naofumi absorbed each piece individually, separating the parts in such a way so that each one of them provided the Legendary Weapon with a unique form.
Because of this, each unique monster type provided anywhere from 4–8 new weapon forms, rather than just the 1. And this was something that Naofumi figured out by himself. It was actually ingenious, taking advantage of the concept of a single existence being a composition of several forms.
Shirou could almost hear Rin having given him this same exact lesson years back, one hand on hip while juggling a piece of chalk with the other. If Naofumi wasn't a magus, he would have made a damn good one.
Not only that, Shirou was able to discover that one could 'master' a weapon form without using it in combat, simply by having it equip for an extended period of time or feeding the material used to unlock the form over and over again until it was mastered.
Naofumi probably didn't know it, but his stats were likely twice as high as they would have been without knowing that little trick, maybe even more. After having reprocessed all the random clutter in Jian's subspace, Shirou's stats all received a very sizable boost as his number of mastered weapon forms doubled, closing some of the numbers gap that had started to show up between him and his party members.
It also explained why Fitoria assumed that Shirou would be a master chef, just because he was a Legendary Hero. With each type of monster granting a small bonus to cooking skills, the numbers added up quickly.
And this was just from what he learned by observing the Shield Hero, the one reported to having the least idea of what was going on. It made Shirou even more sure of his decision to try to track down Motoyasu and Itsuki to try to find out what they knew about growing the Legendary Weapons. Shirou's eyes couldn't detect any methods that didn't directly affect one of the Legendary Weapon's individual forms, such as Naofumi's way of cutting up his prey. But this didn't mean he might not still learn something at just a glance if he was lucky, and if not, he might be able to smooth talk some information out of them. They probably weren't in the mood to share with other heroes, but they might open up to a random mercenary… or if they had no other option, an admittedly attractive fox girl. After all, Motoyasu had claim to have died for his womanizing ways. Hell, give Lancer a barrel or two of some kind of liquor and a pretty woman to talk to and he would probably tell you anything you want to know. So long as that woman wasn't a Yandere.
*Zap*
"I wasn't even talking about you." Shirou hissed as Jian punished him for even thinking the forbidden word.
"Is something wrong Sensei?" Rita asked, seeing Shirou stiffen from the jolt of pain.
"I'm fine." Shirou said, quickly dismissing her worries. "We're just about finished cleaning up here, so let's go head back to town and tell the baron that the job is done."
"Alright Sensei, but is it really alright for us to be doing this? I mean, shouldn't we be in more of a hurry to find the other two heroes or reach Zeltbull's Hourglass before the next Wave hits?" Rita asked. It had been six days since they had left the Shield Hero and his companion behind, and in that time, they had gone from town to town hunting unruly monsters and asking around about the other Heroes.
And while they received no short supply of news about the Spear Hero, the guy seemed to be moving around and gathering attention in so many places that it was difficult to determine what news was the newest, and almost no one had heard or seen the Bow Hero. So rather than chasing after rumors of the Heroes, they had just started to chase after rumors about dangerous monster populations. Going from poor town to poor town, helping the people who couldn't afford to pay for the Adventurers Guild to come and protect them, and whose problems weren't considered pressing enough to get the attention of the national army either.
Though once they got into Zeltbull territory, there wasn't any Adventurers' Guild or national army for them to even call on. People didn't even bat an eye at them being mercenaries after that, as it was the cultural norm for mercenaries to be called on for all their monster problems. They were only surprised by the cheap as dirt rates and how they never asked for payment up front.
"Maybe, but if we just rush from one place to another, then we won't level up or improve Jian. Besides, there is nothing wrong with us helping out a few settlements along our way." Shirou assured her. "We have time. The Wave in Melromarc won't be for another seven days, and Zeltbull's won't be for even longer. The best think we can do is help out who we can and grow our power. While the Wave in Siltvelt had been easy enough to handle, the Waves will likely get stronger and stronger."
"I guess you are right. I just feel nervous about the upcoming Wave. I think it would be easier on me to just be dropped into the middle of it unaware like in Siltvelt, rather than this waiting and seeing it build on the horizon." Rita admitted.
"Stress is the enemy. A soldier must learn how to use any available free time in order to manage it." Shirou said with a knowing nod. "Want to learn how to cook?"
"Now the oils are going to be what moves the heat around the fastest, so try to move the pan around like this in order to get a good spread of the stuff. Don't worry about getting it perfect, a bit of variance in your dish is a good thing. We just want it all to be done around the same time." Shirou said as he held onto the frying pan with Rita and helped guide her.
"Like this?" Rita asked nervously.
"That's great, though you should try to loosen up a bit more. This is supposed to be relaxing you." Shirou chuckled.
"S…sorry." The girl said, flushing with embarrassment. Even though only a single tail was visible, Shirou could feel her twin tails batting against him.
Since with just a single ninja belt on hand, Shirou could trace just about as many as he needed to have, he gave one of the belts to Rita so that she could hide her second tail, which had been an attention grabber everywhere they had went. The belts required a constant supply of MP in order to continue functioning, but with Rita's high magic supply, it wasn't too difficult for her to maintain. It just worked as a sort of training weight when she was practicing magic, as it made it more difficult to cast her debuff curses and fire spells, since he would have to divide her focus between the belt and her casting. It was actually a good training, as dividing one's focus was key for a caster on the battlefield.
With the remaining belt, Shirou had fed it to Jian to see what would come out of it. He was mildly disappointed when the [Camouflage Sword] camouflaged Jian rather than disguising Shirou himself. It was a useful trick though, since it cost no MP or SP and could prevent people from seeing the very obvious blue crystal that was in all of Jian's forms. It also had the added bonus of 'Status Magic Disguise', making it so that Shirou could alter his status menu to display a different name, race, job, level, gender, and so on. Meaning that if anyone tried to call him out, he could quickly prove that he wasn't.
The inn keeper was more than happy to let Shirou take over his kitchen, so long as he cooked for his cliental. The man was very happy about this decision as people began to eat more and more food. And then, when Firo decided that she liked the music that was being played, she began to sing and dance, drawing in even more people, until half the town seemed to be crammed into the large inn's common room.
"Well isn't this a touching sight." Someone said as the door to the kitchen opened and an elderly woman came in. Rita jumped and pulled away from Shirou, almost causing her to spill out the contains of the pan. "Oh, don't mind me dearies. It's just got a little too excited in the main room and I thought I would rest myself in here for a smidge. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all." Shirou said with a smile as he moved to take a duck that was roasting out of the oven, turning his back to her. The old woman moved over to a chair and made a big show of sitting down. "Since you are here, am I to assume that Naofumi-san is doing well, degojaru?" Shirou said with a bit of amusement in his voice.
The 'old woman' stiffened before sitting up straight. The wrinkled on her face disappeared and a bright blond color returned to her grey hair as the age seemed to flow out of her. The common brown clothes changing into a jet black. "What gave me away, degojaru?" The Shadow asked, sounding a bit annoyed at having been called out.
"Nothing, your disguise was perfect." Shirou said, not bothering to turn around.
"Then how did you know it was me, degojaru?" The Shadow asked more insistently.
"That would be a trade secret." Shirou said, putting up the duck and wiping his hands before turning around the face the Shadow. "Is this what you really look like, or just another mask?"
"…I hate you, degojaru." The Shadow grumbled.
"Sensei, who is this?" Rita asked, perplexed by the casual conversation between Shirou and the not-an-old-lady.
"A messenger from what I expect to be our next employer, am I right?" Shirou asked the Shadow.
The Shadow glared at Shirou for a few seconds before finally speaking. "You are the Sword Hero, degojaru." She said in an accusing manner.
"Hm, is that who you think I am?" Shirou said, just continuing to tease the woman.
"We found out about the band of mercenaries in Siltvelt, degojaru. The one with the Royal Filolial and the two tailed Kitsune, degojaru. The one that just so happened to be in the exact place the Sword Hero was last confirmed to be in at the exact moment that he disappeared, degojaru. Then there is the information you had about the workings of the Legendary Weapons, and how you made your party members assist the Shield Hero rather than doing it yourself, degojaru." The Shadow said, putting forward the evidence against Shirou. "All facts point towards you being the Sword Hero, degojaru."
"You seem to have done your homework. However, I'm not the Sword Hero. You can take a look at my status menu if you don't believe me." Shirou said.
"Do you think I don't know about the belts you stole, degojaru? You will just fake your status, degojaru." The Shadow scoffed. Shirou hadn't really expected that to work anyways.
"So, I can't prove that I am not a liar, because as a liar anything I say is a lie." Shirou hummed, irritating the Shadow more. "Fine then, let's say that I was the Sword Hero, what would your boss want with me then?"
"…Having a proven Hero on hand, and whose assistance can be used as a bargaining chip, will help in delegations, degojaru. At the moment, the other countries are concerned that they will not be receiving proper assistance with their Waves, degojaru. Having a Hero that can act outside of Melromarc without tipping off the Heretic Church would put their minds at ease, degojaru." The Shadow summarized what the Queen was hoping for.
"Is that so." Shirou said, turning more serious. "So, the Queen just needs me to promise to go around and synchronize myself with all of the nations Hourglasses, is that right?"
"Correct." Shadow said with a short nod.
"Wait, the Queen?" Rita said, realizing just who they were about to be working for.
"Where are the delegations happening?" Shirou asked the Shadow.
"In the capital of Zeltbull, as the country was considered a religiously and politically neutral zone." The Shadow said.
"More like a no man's land, though it is convenient for us. At Firo's full speed we could be there in just a few hours. Does your Queen mind us arriving after dark?" Shirou asked as he started to clean the kitchen.
"Sleeping arrangements can be made at the embassy, where the Queen herself is staying, degojaru. If you can be there before the meeting next morning, it would be for the best, degojaru." The Shadow said.
"Rita, go and inform Firo and the innkeeper that we have an emergency call to deal with. I'll cleanup here." Shirou told Rita.
"Yes, Sensei." Rita said, before heading for the door.
"So, you aren't going to deny that you are the Sword Hero any longer, degojaru?" The Shadow asked in a slightly smug voice.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm merely a mercenary." Shirou replied with a smile. "Outside of the Melromarc Waves or the absolutely necessary political events, the man does not exist. In my experience, having Heroes around only creates unnecessary messes."
"You are a strange man, degojaru." The Shadow said with a shake of the head.
"So I've been told."
"Master, Firo's getting tired." Firo said as they walked through the streets of Zeltbull, past many suspicious looking people who all stopped to stare at the talking Filolial with looks on their faces that told Shirou that they would try to take her the moment his back was turned.
Their funeral.
"I know. I'm sorry we've kept you up so late, but we are almost there. Right Yami?" Shirou said, glancing to the Shadow who was sitting in the back of the carriage.
"Yes, we are, degojaru. It's just three more building off in that direction, degojaru." The woman said, resigning herself to the nickname. Shirou had insisted on giving her one, as merely calling her Shadow, like all the other Shadows, was starting to make him feel like a racist. As if all Shadows were exactly the same.
Of course, this just upset her because he wasn't supposed to be able to differentiate one Shadow from the others.
The Embassy was built like a prison, with high walls and tight security. The guards on station brought out arms against Shirou's group until Yami produced a document signed by the Queen to allow their entry, after which they were still searched, and all their weapons confiscated until further notice.
Yami told them that they shouldn't have bothered, but that didn't stop them. They were professionals, and unlike the man left at the palace, the Queen's Guard weren't going to let Shirou through unescorted just because he was supposed to be a Legendary Hero.
Firo and Azu almost threw a fit when the guards searched the carriage and found their collection of shiny objects. The Guards would have all probably been beaten into the ground if it wasn't for Shirou interfering and getting the Guards to leave the shinies alone.
Feeling the intense murderous aura coming from the girls and seeing that the assortments of bits of metal and pretty rocks wasn't dangerous, the Guards gladly agreed to leave it untouched.
"Master, are you sure its alright to leave Firo's carriage with these people?" Firo asked, as they took the carriage away towards a shed for storage.
"Don't worry Firo, I put those tracker runes on it, remember. Even if someone tries to steal your carriage, we can still track them down. So don't worry." Shirou said, patting the bird on her neck. "Now how about you change into your human form so that we can all go inside."
"You might want to hold off on that, degojaru." Yami said, back in her completely neutral voice. Her appearance had changed entirely into the standard Shadow form as soon as they were behind the gate walls. "Her Majesty and the Princess Melty are both very fond of Legends, particularly those about the Queen of the Filolial, Fitoria, degojaru. They will likely be thrilled to see one of the mythical Royal Filolial in their true form, degojaru."
"Really, they want to see Firo?" Firo said with a tilt of her head.
"I'm sure they do, degojaru." Yami replied.
They were led to the main building where they were searched again. Shirou half considered starting to trace random weapons all over his body just to fuck with the guards, but it was late and the kids really did need to get to bed. After they were again given the clear, they were allowed to walk through the front door of the building and Shirou's legs nearly locked in shock.
"Rider?" He said under his breath as he saw the woman with bright purple hair framing a perfectly symmetrical face with a slightly high forehead. Give her a pair of glasses, and the woman could have been Rider's twin, only dressed in the clothes of a medieval duchess or queen, with her hair done up and holding up a fan rather than a thinly disguised adult novel.
"I thank you for coming so quickly. I am Mirellia Q Melromarc, the Queen and ruler of Melromarc. I hope that we can learn to count on one and other, Hero of the Sword-sama."
I've been asked to point out that Firo is Filo. As in they are the same word, and that the Japanese use 'r' and 'l' interchangeably. Firo is what they used in the webnovel and if you look at the top of the story under characters, it has Firo as the spelling on this site too. I know that some people would prefer to see Filo, as it is what they used in the anime and most of the manga, but there is something about 'Filo' that just fucks with my dyslexia and every time I see it if feels like I am being hit in the face with a two-by-four and my reading comes to a sudden stop.
So yeah, I use Firo.
I'm not going to make a habit of out having the long lists of new weapons. It was just something to give people the proper scale to understand why Naofumi was actually pretty damn strong, even without considering the cursed series. The other heroes didn't know about how each part of the body could be used to unlock multiple forms. So Naofumi had a lot more weapons than they did giving small stat boosts that quickly added up.
This is also why his cooking was much better than theirs, because they didn't know about the meat series. Arguably the most important series to have.
Guest:"Did you get someone else to write your Author Name for you? I don't know enough about dyslexia to know if you can temporarily overcome it or something. Dunno why I never thought about this before when I read all your stuff."
I couldn't tell if this was meant as some kind of asshole comment, but I laughed when I saw it, because it is true in a way.
I used to have to have people help me fill out all of the paperwork involved in the disabilities forms because I couldn't for the life of me remember how to spell dyslexia. I would curse the name of whatever bastard decided to have such an impossible to read word as the label used to a reading disability, thinking that he must have done it as a cruel joke.
Even now, after something like eighteen years of being labeled as dyslexic, I often trip up every time I have to read the word, and I type it more out of muscle memory than anything else.
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