The Rising of the Fisticuffs Hero

Chapter 15: The Failures of the Heroes (Part 1)

Hey, it's me again. Thanks for sticking with the story up until this point. I'm working hard to get this one out asap, but I do have school and my second story (commissioned by a friend) to work on as well. Of course, if you continue to like my mess of a fanfiction, voting is the best way to tell me to continue. I'll leave you to the story, so see ya later I guess.

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It wasn't long after that evening, less than a week at Cadverus' best guess, when Naofumi was asked to take several large crates filled to the brim with bottle of weed killer to a remote village. As they came closer to their destination, however, it became clear why. Vines grew along the ground, sucking the landscape dry of water and minerals.

It wasn't long before they encounter some obstructions. Plant monsters started popping up as they travelled closer to the epicentre of this vine web which covered vast planes of land like it was nothing. These monsters weren't particularly strong, but they were very numerous. For some reason, they also dropped delicious red berries which Filo seemed to be eating as fast as they were dropping.

Progress was slow, but they did end up at a wooden walled town that was on a hill overlooking the overgrown town. I giant tree with a large flower on it could be spotted growing from the centre of the town, but other than that it appeared that it was just a bunch of vines growing out of control.

While Naofumi went off to talk with what appeared to be the refugees leader, Cadverus and Raphtalia went to the wooden wall overlooking the town. Through the walls entry archway, they spotted a farmer with a malnourished body desperately using his scythe to cut back vines that were spreading so fast they occasionally tried to wrap themselves around his feet.

After a few seconds watching this, Cadver couldn't take it any more. He quickly rushed over to the poor man, and gently pulled him way. He then went through his list of gauntlets and equipped what he though to be a useless pair when he got them, the Withering Wrist-guards.

As the name suggests, they were simple arm guards that left his hands free from being encased in metal, however anything he touched with his bare hands became unable to use energy or magic for a while.

In testing these weapons, he found out the full effects of the skill. It prevented spell use or even hero skill use, however it would induce Rot into dead organic material it touched, meaning things he killed with them wouldn't drop any decent materials. He grabbed the first of several tendrils of the vines that were still growing steadily, and it flinched at his touch. Then black splotches began to appear all over the vine as it writhed in his grasp. Now more confident, Cadver walked along the fence line, touching the vines and causing them to suffer.

Eventually, he spotted Filo jump the walls in her Bird form and head towards the town, before she returned carrying several young adventurers on her back. The adventurers didn't look to good, vines growing off of their bodies in clumps. Naofumi quickly came over and poured weed killer over them, causing the vines to disintegrate into brown dust within 5 seconds. Cadver made his way over to the group, where everyone was waiting next to the wagon.

"We have been offered payment for removing the source of this plague, apparently a certain spear hero brought a seed out of a dungeon and planted it here to cure the famine in this part of the kingdom. I'm considering taking the job but wanted to know everyone's thoughts."

Nobody voiced any concern until he glanced at Cadver who gave the Shield Hero a small nod. The group separated to set up their wagon camp for later, intending to finish the request before nightfall. Naofumi and Cadver took another walk around the fence, per Cads request. They reached a part where vines were starting to regrow.