The Rising of the Shield Hero (盾の勇者の成り上がり)

Come on!

Okay!

Thank you, Naofumi-sama.

Don't worry about it.

We need to get out of here before somebody comes after us.

So this is the countdown to the waves?

It says 10 more days?

There's no time.

And we've finally made it to the other world, too.

Filo's nowhere close to us.

We've got even more ground to cover, then.

Filo…

Okay, why don't you start by heading to Sikul, the country that summoned me?

It's safer than this place.

How far away is "Sikul"?

A week on foot?

That far?

And we'd have to go through a bunch of checkpoints, too.

And cross several borders.

Then that's out of the question.

Got any portal skills?

I do. It's called "Return Codex."

But I don't have the tool I need for it, so I can't use it now.

So what do we do, then?

You didn't just suggest this without a plan, right?

Right!

We'll head for the capital of Mikakage, the country we're in now.

The capital of the country that locked you up?

Hear me out!

We can use the dragon hourglass there to warp to Sikul.

Dragon hourglass?

Your world has them, too?

Yes.

You can't use them for warping, though.

I see. There are some differences, then.

We call it Return Dragon Vein,

and the Cardinal Heroes and Vassal Weapon Heroes are the only ones who can use it.

I see.

So we get to the hourglass and use your power to warp us such that we can't be followed.

Yup.

Um, how far to the capital?

It's still two or three days away.

We'll spend three days on the road,

leveling and buying weapons, and then go into the enemy's HQ.

Oh, there are checkpoints on the road leading to the capital, too.

So we'll need to buy a pass.

So even in another world, I'm back to being a traveling merchant, huh?

The Rising of the Shield Hero

Episode 8 A Parting in the Snow

This country's really Asian-looking.

Yeah, but some of the others are more European.

Asian? European?

The clothes are all Japanese, but there are lots of different races?

Those are the grass people, or just Grass.

Demi-humans, like Raphtalia-chan.

More like elves than demi-humans, I think.

Elves?

Those are the jewel people, or just Jewels.

Just like Therese-neesan!

Therese was a different race, too?

And them? They're not ghosts, right?

Those are the spirit people, like Glass.

Spirit people?

Some countries call them Spirits.

Like Glass?

Where other races have life power, magic power,

and, if you're a vassal weapon wielder, soul power,

Spirits only have their energy level.

Explains why my Soul Eater Shield hit her so hard.

Since they're dependent on that energy, they don't have levels, though.

They don't?

But that also means Spirits with lots of energy are very powerful.

And they're almost entirely incorporeal, so normal attacks don't hurt them.

So that's why she was so strong.

Their one weakness is that their energy can only recover naturally.

Healing magic and items don't work?

Nope.

They receive less benefit from magic than humans and other races.

Naofumi-sama?

What's this?

"We suspect that neighboring countries are developing new weapons.

They are breeding powerful monsters."

The monsters are a new weapon?

They're also trying to research teleportation technology,

as well as the teleportation skills of the Cardinal and vassal weapons.

They're trying to artificially recreate the abilities only heroes have?

Whether that's true or not, they don't seem to know about us, yet.

Well, we just broke out.

There's a lot of concerning stuff here, though.

A lot of it's just gossip, but...

We need to make enough money to pay for food and shelter tonight, huh?

Yeah.

Oh, I can just sell some drop items I don't need.

It looks like old Japanese currency.

Oh, these copper doumon? You're right, now that you mention it.

One hundred of these is worth one silver gyokugin.

And 100 gyokugin is 1 gold kinban.

If doumon are the same as the coppers in my world,

we don't have nearly enough.

Yeah.

I'd like to make some money fast.

I've been thinking...

And this might work.

What's that?

A soul soothing potion.

It recovers SP.

SP? As in "soul power," maybe?

When I fought Glass, L'Arc gave her one of these,

and she got much stronger, like she was coming back to life.

What?

Spirits would pay any price for something like that.

I thought so.

Let's sell it, then.

B-But that item's totally unknown in this world.

Would we find a buyer so soon?

Who do you think I am?

Tomorrow we're gonna be busy leveling and selling.

Right, Raphtali...a?

Ra—

You...

N-No!

I was thinking Rishia-san's looked good too, that's all.

Here.

Young demi-humans need to eat a lot, after all!

That's not true—

Well, it is true, but...

Come one, come all!

See the wares I've brought from all around the land!

First, this rare soul soothing potion.

Soul soothing potion, a rare medicine from a distant land.

You Spirits there! This is just the thing for you!

Right this way!

It doesn't cost a thing! So try it out!

They're acting differently than usual, aren't they?

I was surprised the first time I saw it, too.

Amazing! I've never seen anything like this!

I can't believe it! My power's back!

Sell it to me! I'll pay any price, just give it all to me!

Wait! Me, too!

Me, too!

I'll be back to sell more, so please, relax!

But it's a rare item, hard to find and produce.

I don't have much left.

So tomorrow, I'll be putting it up for auction!

Auction?

And it's tomorrow, too?

You're one hell of a salesman.

See? I can take down monsters easily.

But I'm not getting any XP. Maybe because we're both heroes?

I see.

If only we could make up for it with items.

Want to try a different item than the soul soothing potion?

Our items might have different effects on each other.

This is an earth crystal.

Holding it restores your magic.

I just got 3,000 XP!

Try this. It's magic water.

It didn't restore my magic, but I got weapon enhancement XP.

There might be other items that give us both different effects!

Let's try a bunch of things.

Yeah.

Two gyokugin!

Three gyokugin, 30 doumon!

Thirty gyokugin!

We have 30 gyokugin! Thirty gyokugin!

Anyone else want to bid?

Nobody?

Then the first one sells for 30 gyokugin!

Now, the next soul soothing potion...

What did she just do?

Does she know how valuable those were?

One of them is safe!

What luck!

But this is the very last bottle!

Bidding starts at one gyokugin!

Wow, that was so much fun!

I never thought you could sell things like that!

It wasn't fun for me.

Sorry, Rishia-san.

Naofumi told me to do it.

Yeah. Good job.

You did good too, Raphtalia.

Thank you!

We've got more than enough for a pass,

so let's buy weapons and armor, too!

Nice! You all look great!

You don't need any new items?

I'm fine as I am.

That haori's a mess.

Glass gave it to me, though.

I see... Sorry.

Naofumi-sama, do you think this looks good on me?

Yeah, seems fine.

And you look like a ninja girl, Rishia.

Ninja girl?

Naofumi-sama, wh-who do you think's the best out of all of us?