The door creaked open, and Raphtalia stepped back into the room, her hair still slightly damp but dressed in her clean traveling clothes. She looked between the two men, sensing a shift in the air but unable to pin down what it was.
"It's my turn now. I'll see you two in a bit," Ichigo said, giving a quick, casual wave as he grabbed his things and headed for the door.
Once he was out in the hallway, the mask of cool confidence slipped instantly. As he walked toward the bathing area, his internal monologue was a frantic, chaotic mess.
How the hell did that actually work? he screamed internally, his heart hammering against his ribs. The "Oath of Name" isn't even from this world! I literally just copied a ritual from Fluffy Paradise because I thought the concept fit the situation. Magic isn't supposed to work like that! You aren't supposed to just "import" lore from other anime and have the universe go "Yeah, sure, that sounds about right."
He leaned against the cold stone wall of the corridor for a second, catching his breath. He had lived in this world for eleven years now, ever since he woke up in the body of a five-year-old boy who had been poisoned. He remembered his past life clearly—the shows, the games, the tropes—but he had never expected his "knowledge" to manifest so literally.
I really hope Naofumi can eventually find a way to undo that thing, he thought, rubbing his face with his hands. I mean, losing my name and becoming "less than human" if I mess up? That's high stakes even for a self-insert. And that "brothers" line? Total improvisation. I really went full-on "shounen protagonist" just to make him feel better.
He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of anxiety. He had committed to this path the moment he stepped into that mine to save the Shield Hero. He knew Naofumi's story, he knew the betrayal he had suffered, and he knew that without a genuine anchor, the man would spiral into darkness.
Well, Ichigo, he told himself, finally entering the bath area, you wanted to be an adventurer. You wanted to change things. Now you're literally soul-bonded to the most hated man in Melromarc. Good job, you absolute nerd.
He sighed as he began to strip for the bath, his mind already racing ahead to their next move. He had to be careful. If he could manifest an oath just by thinking about it, he needed to keep a tight lid on his other "ideas" before he accidentally rewrote the laws of physics again.
...
A while later, Ichigo lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to find sleep. In the bed beside his, Naofumi and Raphtalia were already asleep, curled up together.Seeing the young girl clinging to the Shield Hero for comfort made Ichigo's heart ache with a mixture of relief and lingering worry.
I really hope they managed to save Rifana and the other children, Ichigo thought, his eyes drifting shut. If my interference worked, then maybe this world won't be as dark as the one I remember. With that final, heavy thought, he finally drifted off.
...
...
...
The next morning, after the trio had washed up and finished a quick breakfast, the village square was buzzing with activity. Naofumi was busy haggling with a butcher, selling off the crates of monster meat they had hauled from the mine. Meanwhile, Ichigo had drawn a crowd.
He moved with fluid grace, his yo-yos dancing through the air in a series of "Around the World" and "Loop-the-Loop" maneuvers that left Raphtalia and the village children wide-eyed with wonder. As he landed a complex "Green Triangle" trick, the children erupted into applause. A few parents, grateful for the distraction and the rare bit of joy in the village, stepped forward to drop a few copper coins into Ichigo's hand.
"Thank you, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the show," Ichigo said with a grin, tucking the coins into his pouch.
"What do you think you're doing?" Naofumi asked, walking up with a heavy purse of silver at his belt. He looked at the lingering children with a skeptical frown.
Ichigo didn't stop. He flicked his wrist, sending one of the Light Metal disks spinning just inches past Naofumi's nose before snapping it back into his palm with a satisfying clack.
"Just a bit of street performing, General. Every copper counts, right?" Ichigo replied, his tone playful.
Naofumi sighed, crossing his arms. "Don't waste your time. We need to head out and keep getting stronger. Leveling up is the only thing that matters right now."
Ichigo's expression shifted, becoming a bit more calculating. "Actually, I was thinking about that. If we keep clearing the mine and killing those monsters, we're going to end up with a lot of materials and even more gold. If we get enough... do you think we could use some of that money to fully clear out the tunnels and modify them?"
Naofumi raised an eyebrow. "Modify them for what?"
"A refuge," Ichigo said, his eyes turning toward the mountains. "When the next Wave hits, this village is going to be a target. If we turn that mine into a fortified shelter, the villagers would have a place to hide. We'd be clearing our own training ground and building a base at the same time."
Naofumi stared at him for a long moment, his gaze cold and pragmatic. "You're talking like a hero again, Ichigo. I'm not a charity. Why should I spend my hard-earned money to build a 'resort' for a village that probably thinks I'm a criminal?"
He looked at the villagers nearby,his eyes narrowing with the usual bitterness.
"If they want a shelter, they can pay for it themselves. My priority is keeping us alive. Besides, a mine full of monsters is a good source of EXP. Why would I want to make it 'safe' for everyone else and lose my best grinding spot?"
Naofumi turned to walk away, but stopped, looking back over his shoulder.
"But... if we can charge them for 'protection' or if having a base makes it easier for me to craft medicine without being bothered, maybe I'll consider it. But don't expect me to do it out of the goodness of my heart."
Ichigo smiled, knowing that was as close to a "yes" as he was going to get for now.
...
...
...
A week had passed since that conversation, and during those seven days, the trio had turned the Riyute Mine into a whirlwind of activity. They spent their hours deep in the tunnels, grinding for experience and hauling out crates of ore and monster parts. Following Ichigo's suggestion, they struck a formal deal with the village leader. A portion of their earnings went directly into renovating the entrance and the upper levels of the mine into a reinforced shelter.
Ichigo even used some of the Light Metal to forge a series of "Resonant Alarms"—disks that, when struck, would vibrate with a high-pitched frequency that could be heard throughout the village. They even conducted drills, with Naofumi grumbling about the lost time while Ichigo and Raphtalia guided the villagers to their assigned safety zones.
Then came the day they ventured into the swamp bordering Riyute.
...
Flashback
The air was thick with humidity and the smell of rot. They had spent the morning clearing out Poison Toads and Giant Insects, with Naofumi's shield absorbing everything from venomous tongues to chitinous wings.
"Now Raphtalia, you have to be more attentive to your surroundings," Ichigo said, flicking a glob of toad slime off his sleeve. He had just saved her from a camouflaged toad that had tried to snag her with its tongue. "A warrior's greatest weapon isn't their blade or their yo-yos—it's their situational awareness. You can't let your guard down for even a second, or the world will—"
Before he could finish the word "bite," the water exploded behind him. A massive, moss-covered Swamp Caiman lunged, its jaws snapping shut around Ichigo's entire upper torso.
"ICHIGO!" Raphtalia screamed, her sword half-drawn. Naofumi reacted instantly, raising his arm to cast a shield, but he stopped when he saw the caiman's throat begin to glow with a faint, spinning light.
From inside the beast's gullet, a muffled, metallic whirring sound began to intensify. Suddenly, several silver streaks burst through the creature's thick hide. Ichigo hadn't just sat there; he had deployed his yo-yos at point-blank range, using the "Killer Yo-Yo Style" to turn the inside of the monster into a blender. With a final, violent pull of the magic yarn, the caiman was torn apart from the inside out, collapsing into the mud in a spray of blood and swamp water.
Ichigo stood up slowly, drenched from head to toe in blood, digestive juices, and thick, green caiman saliva. He looked like a swamp monster himself.
He wiped a layer of gunk from his eyes and looked at Raphtalia and Naofumi, who were staring at him in stunned silence.
"Not. One. Word," Ichigo muttered, his voice dripping with annoyance.
Raphtalia bit her lip, her shoulders shaking as she desperately tried to suppress a giggle. She looked away, pretending to be very interested in a nearby tree, but the occasional snort escaped her.
Ichigo turned his gaze to Naofumi. The Shield Hero stood there with his arms crossed, his face as stoic as ever, but Ichigo noticed the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth and the way his eyes were crinkling. Naofumi was definitely struggling not to laugh at the "expert's" failed safety lecture.
As Ichigo trudged past them toward the nearest clean patch of water, a small, genuine smile touched his lips despite the filth.
It's working, he thought, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He's not just a statue of spite anymore. The 'Flavor Blindness' is still there, but at least he can still find something funny. My improvised therapy sessions might actually be saving his soul.
He glanced back at the two of them. Raphtalia finally let out a small laugh, and Naofumi gave a heavy, amused huff of breath.
We're becoming a real team, Ichigo realized.
End of Flashback
...
Currently, the three adventurers find themselves in a sprawling, green grassland. Naofumi sits on a rock, his face tensed in pain as he struggles to pull a thick, jagged quill out of his shoulder—the parting gift of a giant Porcupine monster.
Ichigo and Raphtalia are off in the high grass, pursuing the beast that had ambushed them. Naofumi finally yanks the quill free, a hiss of breath escaping his teeth, and immediately feeds the bloodied spike into the gem of his shield. A green light pulses, and the familiar translucent interface flickers to life before him.
[Animal Needle Shield] Unlocked
Equip Bonus: Attack +1
Special Effect: Animal Needle (Small)
As Naofumi scrolls through his expanded skill tree, he is struck by how far they have come. His shield now possesses many abilities—from mining and sharpening to mana resonance—that he has almost lost count.
"Naofumi-sama!"
Raphtalia's voice cuts through his thoughts. He looks up just as the massive Porcupine monster erupts from the tall grass, charging directly at him. With a sharp, practiced movement, Naofumi thrusts his shield arm forward.
"Shield Prison!"
Instantly, a cage made of green, interlocking shields and chains manifests around the beast, trapping it mid-charge. As the monster thrashes against the magical bars, Raphtalia leaps from the brush. Naofumi deactivates the prison, and as the green barriers vanish, Raphtalia delivers a decisive strike, her blade cutting through the monster and ending the fight instantly.
She stands over the fallen creature, looking back at Naofumi with a proud, bright smile. Her appearance has changed remarkably over the week; she has grown significantly taller, her hair is long and well-kept, and she wears a new set of brown and orange traveling clothes that suit her more mature stature.
"I did it, Naofumi-sama!" she cheers, holding a branch from the brush as her tail wags with joy.
Ichigo emerges from the grass shortly after, crouching down to gather the loose quills that had been scattered during the struggle. He tucks them into his pack with a satisfied nod. "Nice teamwork, you two. That's another set of high-quality materials for the hoard."
Naofumi looks at his right hand, where the white Oath seal sits silently. One week, and we're already moving like a well-oiled machine, he thinks.
The three continued along the cobblestone streets of the capital until they reached a two-story building with a facade that combined solid stone at the base and cream-colored walls with exposed dark wooden beams. A small wooden balcony jutted out above the main entrance, and a sign with two crossed swords clearly indicated the nature of the business.
As they entered, the tinkling of a bell announced their arrival. Ichigo glanced quickly inside, noticing the array of weapons and armor adorning the walls, from leather breastplates to gleaming steel swords. Just then, a heavily built, bald man with a short, dark beard that met his sideburns emerged from the back room. He wore a simple gray short-sleeved shirt and a leather apron fastened with a shoulder strap.
"Well! If it isn't the boy with the shield," the man greeted them in a loud, jovial voice. Then, noticing the young woman accompanying them, he tilted his head curiously. "And who is this young lady?"
"It's me, Raphtalia," she replied with a kind smile.
The man let out a loud laugh, closing his eyes in laughter. "I hardly recognized you! You're quite the young lady now. You're definitely not that little wench you were last time."
Raphtalia pouted at that last comment, crossing her arms in slight annoyance. Naofumi, intrigued by the blacksmith's reaction, turned to look at his companion. At that moment, the mental image he held of the timid little girl vanished, replaced by the vision of the confident and strong teenager before him.
"When did this happen...?" Naofumi thought, his eyes widening in shock as he processed Raphtalia's drastic physical change. However, he couldn't finish his thought.
NOISE!
A sharp, metallic clang echoed behind them. The three turned simultaneously toward the source of the noise and saw Ichigo surrounded by spears scattered on the ground. He held one in his hand, while the barrel that should have contained them lay overturned at his feet.
"Sorry!" Ichigo exclaimed with a nervous smile, hurriedly gathering the weapons to return them to their place. "I was testing the balance of this one and... well, physics wasn't on my side."
The blacksmith looked at the young man with the yo-yo and then at his former customers. "And who's the clueless one?"
Raphtalia stepped forward with a radiant smile. "This is Ichigo-niisan. We met him recently at the mines," she explained, using the honorific naturally. Then, she told the blacksmith how Ichigo had joined them and the work they had done together to transform the mine into a shelter for the village.
After rearranging the spears, Ichigo approached the group, brushing the dust off his clothes.
"I can see the mess. I get a little excited about well-forged weapons," he said, extending his hand toward the shop owner. "I'm Tatsuo Ichigo. It's a pleasure to meet a master blacksmith."
The man accepted the handshake firmly, appreciating the young man's energy. "My name is Erhard. And the pleasure is all mine, if you can keep my products on your shelves," he replied with a wink. "So... what do you need today?"
Raphtalia was the first to speak, looking at Naofumi with determination. "Naofumi-sama, we have to buy you some equipment!"
Naofumi looked at her, puzzled, blinking a few times. "Wait, Raphtalia, we actually came for equipment for you and Ichigo..."
Before he could finish, Ichigo placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him with a tone of voice that mixed wisdom with fear for his own life. "Shhh... Naofumi, brotherly advice: never interrupt a woman when she's shopping. It's for your own safety."
Raphtalia puffed out her cheeks, shaking her head. "That's not what I mean! I mean you should protect yourself better, Naofumi-sama. Or have you already forgotten that you were injured by that monster in the meadow?"
Naofumi opened his mouth to retort that his shield was responsible for defense and that their team was the priority, but Ichigo quickly covered his mouth with his hand.
"Raphtalia is absolutely right," Ichigo said, nodding gravely. Then he turned to the blacksmith. "Mr. Erhard, is it possible to have custom-made equipment made at your forge? Something that will really last."
Erhard crossed his arms, letting out a small laugh. "Of course, lad. Just give me the right materials and the payment will be 80 silver coins for the job."
Upon hearing how inexpensive it was for a custom job, Ichigo removed his hand from Naofumi's mouth. "Done! I want one too, but it has to be something that doesn't restrict my flexibility or speed. I need them to use my weapons."
Raphtalia nodded in agreement. Erhard, however, raised an eyebrow curiously. "And what are these weapons you keep talking about?"
Ichigo smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out one of his lightweight metal yo-yos. He handed it to Erhard, placing it directly in his hand. Feeling its weight and observing the weapon's design, Erhard's eyes widened in surprise.
"These are...? It can't be... " thought the blacksmith, recognizing the sophistication of the artifact.
Erhard quickly looked up at Ichigo. The young man, who was a couple of steps behind Naofumi and Raphtalia, met his gaze. For a brief second, Ichigo's jovial expression vanished, replaced by a grim look and smile that chilled the blacksmith's blood; at the same time, Ichigo brought a finger to his lips, making a clear gesture for silence.
Erhard coughed hard to hide his astonishment and regain his composure. "Ahem... yes, they are very peculiar weapons, indeed," he commented, while Raphtalia and Naofumi nodded, oblivious to the silent exchange.
"Good! Here are the materials," Ichigo said, his cheerful expression returning as if nothing had happened. He took off his backpack and emptied it onto the counter, spilling a large quantity of high-quality materials, including the hides and keels of the monsters they had recently hunted. "Take whatever you need, Mr. Erhard."
Erhard looked at the mountain of resources and then at the yo-yo boy.
Worthy of the 'Glimmer of the Kingdom' , the blacksmith thought to himself, finally recognizing the true identity of the one standing before him.
...
The three entered a local restaurant, the aroma of stew and freshly baked bread filling their senses. Raphtalia walked with light steps, clutching her new sword to her chest with almost sacred devotion. Erhard, for reasons Naofumi and Raphtalia couldn't fathom, had given it to her completely free of charge just before they left.
Naofumi, however, couldn't get the blacksmith's strange behavior out of his head. He remembered perfectly how Erhard's expression had changed drastically after inspecting Ichigo's weapon. Just before leaving, Ichigo had given the blacksmith one last somber look, accompanied by an unmistakable gesture: he slowly and menacingly ran his thumb along his neck, reinforcing his silence.
Once seated at the table, the silence was deafening for a few moments until Naofumi broke the ice.
"Erhard's behavior worries me," Naofumi confessed, crossing his arms and glancing sideways at Ichigo. "He acted erratically after seeing your weapon, Ichigo. He almost seemed... scared."
"That's true," Raphtalia added, carefully placing her sword on the bench beside her. "He was very pale at the end. It was very strange that he gave us the sword out of nowhere."
Ichigo let out a nervous giggle and shrugged with feigned innocence. "Yeah, what a peculiar fellow, huh? I guess blacksmiths have their eccentricities. Maybe seeing such an innovative design caused a brain short circuit."
Naofumi narrowed his eyes. "Strange is an understatement. It seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't dare."
Seeing that the Shield Hero was too close to the truth, Ichigo decided it was time to use his favorite tactic: deflection by sarcasm.
"Well, well... the great and serious Naofumi worrying about the emotional well-being of a blacksmith he barely knows. What a surprise!" Ichigo exclaimed mockingly, placing a hand on his chest as if moved. "You're going to make me cry with all this humanity, General. Where did that heart of stone go?"
Raphtalia giggled at the joke, while Naofumi huffed, looking away with a slight grimace of annoyance. "I'm just saying I don't want to owe anyone any favors, especially if they're acting like they've seen a ghost."
Before the discussion could continue, a deep, vibrant roar echoed around the table. Raphtalia instantly turned bright red and threw up her hands.
"It wasn't me this time, I swear!" exclaimed the young half-human, ashamed by the memory of her previous outbursts of hunger.
Ichigo let out a laugh and patted his stomach matter-of-factly. "Guilty. I apologize, guys, but all that 'applied physics' with the barrel of spears and running around town has left me completely empty. I'm starving, can we order now?"
Naofumi shook his head, a small, almost imperceptible hint of a smile appearing on his face. "Alright, alright. Let's order something. I don't want your stomach to end up scaring the other customers."
TO BE CONTINUED