Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero)

If the heroes are fighting each other

instead of the Waves of Catastrophe,

then for the sake of the world,

I must kill the Four Cardinal Heroes.

"Kill the Four Cardinal Heroes," eh?

Naofumi-sama?

Not yet!

Never mind. It's nothing.

They've really taken to you.

Right?

Liberation: Wind Prison.

Melty!

What's going on?

What are you doing to Mel-chan?!

Mel-tan,

I need you to be my hostage.

The Rising of the Shield Hero

"Hostage"?

A Promise Made

What's the meaning of this?

Shield Hero, promise me.

Promise me you'll make up with the other heroes.

Let Mel-chan out of there!

And if I don't,

you're threatening to hurt Melty?

I thought I told you it wasn't happening!

Even still, I must ask you to.

Why are you so obsessed with the heroes working together?

Because I made a promise to the hero who raised me.

And because the heroes must cooperate

in order to save the world from the Waves.

Please.

It doesn't matter how many times you ask.

I have no intention of reconciling with those morons.

In that case, new heroes will have to be summoned.

And to enable that, I'll kill all the current heroes.

So that's what you meant last night?

That will help the world in the long run.

Yeah, doing that would be easy for her.

Please reconcile with the other heroes.

Even then,

I can't do it.

You don't need to take Melty hostage.

If you want to kill me, feel free.

But...

Naofumi!

Naofumi-sama!

Just know that I'm not going down without a fight!

Don't.

Detecting transformation jamming

Not again!

I understand how you feel, Shield Hero.

What?

If that's how it is, prove to me that

you and your party can fight the Waves alone.

Prove to you?

How do we do that?

By fighting you right here and now?

Shield Hero, I more or less know how strong you are.

I want a one-on-one with Filo.

Me?

If you prove to me that you're strong, I'll release Mel-tan.

And I won't kill the heroes for a while.

I'll give you time.

I don't really understand, but if I win, Master won't be killed,

and Mel-chan will be freed too, right?

Wait.

Hang on, Filo—

Then I'll fight.

I'll fight in this form,

so you fight me in human form too, Filo.

Gotcha.

I said wait!

This way.

Here I come.

Whenever you're ready.

You're slow.

Huh?

Filo! Above you!

Filo-chan!

Ow...

Why did Fitoria choose to fight Filo and not Raphtalia?

And why are they fighting in human form?

Damn it.

Filo!

Don't just charge in blindly!

Use your head!

Master...

And regenerate your clothes when you have the chance!

Pour your mana into it and increase your defense as much as you can!

Gotcha!

As source of your powers, Filo orders you.

Decipher the laws of nature

and blow my target away with a vicious vacuum burst.

Zweit Tornado!

Nullify the vacuum burst.

Anti-Zweit Tornado!

Watch out! It's jamming magic!

You're wide open.

She has no time to regenerate her clothes at all.

Melty.

Filo's in trouble if this keeps up.

I'll try to get rid of this cage with my shield.

Naofumi!

Naofumi-sama!

She cut through the shield's defense with ease!

Master!

Eyes on me.

He got what he deserved for trying to cheat and rescue Mel-tan.

But do you know why he did that?

Because you're weak.

What do you fight for?

Isn't that obvious?

For Master!

You couldn't beat the dragon last night, you can't beat me now,

and you expect to be useful to the Shield Hero?

I'm not gonna lose!

I'm gonna become strong for Master!

Not with such a shallow will!

Are you all right, Naofumi-sama?

Yeah, somehow.

I won't let Master get hurt any more.

I'll... I'll be much, much stronger!

I'll... I'll be much, much stronger!

Really?

What is she...

Is she absorbing the mana particles in the air?

Is that even possible?

Filo!

Master...

I'm fine.

Calm down, and watch her attacks closely.

I know you can do it!

I know you can do it.

Yeah!

Too slow.

Okay, but I'll still beat you!

Spiral...

Strike!

Go!

Filo!

Naofumi-sama!

Did you see that magic attack Filo just used?

Yeah.

I...

I won't lose.

Master, I'll grow stronger.

Strong enough to protect you, Mel-chan,

and Raphtalia-oneechan.

Strong enough to protect everyone.

Okay.

So...

I'll never lose.

That's enough, Filo.

You win.

I'll free Mel-tan.