Reaping of the Scythe Hero

Chapter 4: New Party Member

I woke up in a bed overlooked by a demi-human. She seemed surprised to see me awake. "Scythe Hero! You're awake!" She said, sounding very relieved. I sat up and smiled to reassure her. "Yeah. I need to go find Naofumi. The Shield Hero." I told her. She nodded and stepped to the door. "I will tell Elidibus and the others about this. Please be careful." She bowed to me. "Will do. Thank you all for the help and information you've given. It helps more than you may think." I said as I walked out. I need to find Naofumi soon.

I looked around the castle town and heard how he allegedly killed me. He must be panicking and infuriated by this. Thankfully, after a few hours I heard about a shield user who is fighting orange balloons alone outside the capital. I ran out the gates and found him as the sun went down. He was panting and trying to catch his breath. Has he been trying to level up alone this whole time?

"Damn it!" Naofumi yelled, sounding frustrated. "I have to find who killed him... But what can I even do on my own? Screw the kingdom and their waves... I need to at least avenge my friend." He really just wants to find who 'killed' me. I'm honestly a bit touched by it. "That means a lot, hearing you talk about me like that." I spoke up and he turned around, shocked to see me.

"Riku?! But.. But Myne said you were dead... How are you..." Naofumi trailed off from his thought in confusion. "She said you killed me, so all of that automatically becomes false. But for what it's worth. It means a lot seeing you so determined to avenge me." I smiled a little. "I saw how long it took to get you to level 2. I'm already level 6. I can't have my defending shield that much lower level than me. Not to mention we can't outshine those other three idiots like this." I grinned, implying to Naofumi what I plan to do.

"Outshine? So you're actually going to stay with me. Even with what my reputation has become?" He asked me, though to be fair, the king already planned this from the beginning, and with Melromarc's relationship with demi-humans, the shield hero immediately becomes a threat.

"Well, honestly. First, I want to get back at that backstabbing bitch that tried to get me killed. Second, I want to get that dumbass simp Motoyasu and put him in his place. Third, It seems Myne has some kind of ties to the king, clearly there's some premeditated plot against you as the shield, me being a potential threat added into the mix. And lastly..." I slammed my scythe on the ground and got a dark look on my face.

"My sister is a victim of sexual assault, and it pisses me off to see someone fake the pain she went through to frame an innocent person..." After explaining my reasoning, Naofumi seemed shocked to hear about my sister, but also relieved that he can trust me. "Well in that case." He held out his hand for a handshake. "We got some work to do." I smiled and shook his hand. "We sure do."

We spent a few days leveling up, but without much cash to our names, he can't upgrade gear or get decent lodging. Myself on the other hand, can camp outside. A presumed murder victim walking through the capital would cause trouble and confusion. Besides, it'll be best not to reveal I'm alive yet. After one night some thugs tried to mug Naofumi. They failed and ran away. "Even with an increased level, I can't do any damage. And my gear is still at a low level. Not to mention, if I stay like this much longer, it's only a matter of time until it's not enough... Then Riku might actually die for real..." He was visibly upset at needing to have his hand held through leveling up and not being able to offer anything besides being a defensive wall.

"Well, it looks like you're having a bit of a conundrum, Mr. Shield Hero." A man's voice caught Naofumi's attention. "Who are you?" I have no idea who that is, or even where they are. Then a short guy in a top hat and suit walked out of another alley. "I'm a businessman of sorts. And it seems like I may be able to offer something you need, Sir Shield Hero." He looks and sounds like a comic villain trying to play it cool...