The Rising Of the Shield Hero X M Y/N

Chapter 8: The Three Cardinal Weapons and The Mere Metal Rod

Third Person:

Long ago, there existed two fraternal twins, Elijah and Eliot, who both possessed exceptional skills in the art of blacksmithing, yet, unfortunately, held a deep-seated contempt for each other. Despite sharing a common bloodline, the two brothers were unsparingly competitive and possessed an acute disdain for one another.

Almost equally as skilled in all aspects of life, Elijah and Eliot were almost identical, save for the fact that Elijah excelled slightly more at blacksmithing than Eliot. Nevertheless, Eliot's own creations were impressive in their own right, though Elijah's skills with the hammer were undoubtedly incomparable, leading the two twins to indulge in a bitter rivalry, their mutual hatred fueled by envy and competition.

The bitter enmity between Elijah and Eliot went much beyond the realm of blacksmithing. Both gentlemen had fallen for Elizabeth, the sole daughter of the duke, and their rivalry was now escalated to a fierce struggle for a maiden's affection. Not only were they fiercely committed to besting one another in their craft, but also as passionate rivals vying for the heart of an incomparable lady.

The lovely damsel remained unable to make a decision between the twin gentlemen, so she conceived the idea of a challenge in which only one champion could emerge victorious. Specifically, the winning suitor would be the gentleman who created the superior weapon. Eliot immediately realized that Elijah would emerge victorious, as the latter's blacksmithing skills far outmatched his own.

(credit to owner)

Eliot could not come to terms with the notion of defeat. Thus, he resolved to do whatever it took to emerge victorious, even if that meant consorting with a dark and mysterious being. He had struck an agreement with the devil and was determined to carry out its dire terms and conditions.

Eliot was willing to surrender everything that mattered to him if it meant he could defeat his brother. Slowly but surely, his greed began to overwhelm his reason. He would spare no lengths in order to emerge triumphant in this battle of craftsmanship. Regardless of what sacrifices must be made, Eliot was determined to vanquish Elijah and obtain Elizabeth's hand in marriage by any means necessary.

At this juncture, the objective had shifted from winning the heart of the fair maiden to proving that he was a superior craftsman relative to Elijah. The rivalry had transcended the realm of love and had become a matter of pride and respect. Eliot was intent on demonstrating that he was the superior individual, and that his mastery of the blacksmithing trade surpassed Elijah's by a considerable measure.

Day in and day out, the two twins devoted their time and effort into creating the perfect weapon. Within the span of a month, Elijah had manage to produce four weapons of the utmost quality, not only that, but blessed by the gods themselves. On the other hand, within the same given timeframe, Eliot had only managed to forge a single metal rod of exceptional quality.

Was this an attempt at humour? Everyone who observed the creation of the weapons could tell that the victor of this contest was rather apparent. When comparing Elijah's impressive production of four weapons and Eliot's singular metal rod, it was readily apparent that the winner of this battle of craftsmanship was indeed obvious.

Overcome with indignation and humiliation, Eliot came to the demon, frustrated by the result of their arrangement. "How dare you make a mockery of me?" he exclaimed bitterly, "We came to an agreement! You were to help me make the best weapon I could and yet you tricked me and caused me to lose." The demon, unfazed by Eliot's anger, merely smiled.

"Indeed I did" the demon replied, his expression serious yet exuding a malicious aura. Eliot was evidently annoyed, yet the demon remained unconcerned. "That metal rod you speak of is not your typical metal rod" the demon explained with a mischievous grin, "In fact, it is a demonically-blessed weapon, the likes of which shall help you win your heart's desire: the hand of the fair maiden Elizabeth."

"Elijah already won! You tricked me" Eliot exclaimed angrily. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you poor and oblivious creature of man," the demon scoffed. "We came to an arrangement, you see," he said with a wicked grin, "If I created you a formidable weapon, you would surrender your soul to me." The demon let out a deep chuckle and shrugged his shoulders, "So what is it to me if Elijah has won? I have you trapped in my clutches regardless."

Thus came the conclusion of the tale; the demon had taken Eliot's soul in exchange for a forged weapon. Elijah and Elizabeth tied the knot and the four weapons he had created were christened The Four Cardinal Weapons. As for the metal rod, it was destined to be lost in the annals of time.

Y/N's Pov:

"So, the cardinal weapons and the metal rod were brought into existence as a result of sibling rivalry?" I inquired with a thoughtful expression. "Your narration is full of inconsistencies and lacks clarity, which are likely attributable to all the unanswered questions. How does transforming from a rod of metal into a human function? What does the demon mean by 'special'? Furthermore, How did you manage to bring me here?" I articulated ponderously as I slowly turned towards the person with the white hair, an individual who is actually my metallic rod.

"Well... initially, this is a dream. Secondly, regarding the way in which I can transform into a human, well-" He was cut off as the ruins began to shake. "What's going  on?!," I yelled. "You are waking up master! Well, see you later!" The man declared before everything started to vibrate intensely.

"Ah, and exercise extreme caution with that girl, myne. She seems suspicious." That had been the final words he uttered before disappearing.

Slowly opening my eyes, I gradually became aware of being in my room, where it was already quite dark. "Naofumi and Myne haven't returned yet?" I said under my breath, irritated. "No, they're probably  having dinner as of now." I mumbled irritably, if that were the case, I wondered why no one had woken me up. 

In front of the inn was situated a restaurant, so perhaps they are there, but if not, something concerning could have transpired. Perhaps they were ambushed by bandits... or possibly, even worse, captured by slave traders!