Imagination Is My Weapon(Rising of the Shield Hero Fanfic)

Chapter 24: Battle for Innocence *REWRITTEN*

Mirai Iwatani Level 42

Kenta Level 44

The electric buzzing of whatever crashed into their defences faded, followed by the cracking of their shields. Naofumi fell to a knee from exhaustion, "What kind of spell was that?" Motoyasu comments as he looks around, finding everyone recovering from the blow.

"Is everyone all-" Raphtalia asks.

THUD!

Mirai falls to her knees. She covers her hand over her mouth as she coughs blood. Unable to prevent or stop the coughing, she leans forward, her free hand digging into the ground as crimson leaks from her fingers.

"Mirai?! What's wrong?!" Motoyasu moves to touch her. Kenta grabs his wrist and shakes his head.

"Let go, she needs help!" Motoyasu protests, fighting against Kenta's grip.

"Not from you," Kenta tightens his grip. Naofumi places a hand on Mirai's shoulder; she glances at him for a second before her sight returns to the ground.

"Fast heal," Naofumi casts, but nothing happens. "Fast heal," he tries again, but Mirai only worsens. "Why isn't it working?" he peers over at Melty. "Can you help her?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not strong enough." Melty bows her head. Naofumi returns his attention to his sister, clenching his jaw as he tries Fast Heal a couple more times, to no avail.

"You moron," Kenta states as he walks over to her, kneels down and searches through her bag.

"Kenta, did something happen to her that's preventing the spell from working?" Naofumi asks.

"Yes," he replies as he grabs a bottle, reads the label, and puts it back, "She hasn't recovered from the poison," he says as he repeats the process.

"Poison?" Motoyasu asks, "Who would do that to her?"

"The wolf in sheep's clothing that's hiding in your party." Kenta states and glances over to Mirai, "You didn't forget the medicine there, did you?" he rummages through it.

"What're you talking about? There's no wolves in my party." Motoyasu's gaze sweeps over his party members.

"I don't mean there's a literal wolf idiot," Kenta says as he pulls out the correct bottle and hands it to Mirai.

"Can you drink?" he asks. Mirai glances over, panting, as she holds out her hand. He gives it to her. She takes a shaky breath as she raises the bottle to her lips, and upon drinking the medicine, the bottle drops from her hand, and she passes out. Naofumi catches her and sets her down.

"Is she going to be alright?" Raphtalia asks. Kenta sighs and picks up the bottle.

"Idiot," he says, "She'll be fine. The medicine knocks her out for a bit."

"Did something happen after you two left the mansion?" Naofumi inquires.

"Mirai and I went out to do some level grinding when I was captured by what I thought were poachers. Mirai came after me; I said some nasty things to her in hopes of her leaving me behind, but being the moron she is, she stayed." Kenta starts, "It turned out that the poachers were royal guards. They kidnapped her and left. When I found her again, she was trapped underneath some rubble and had reeked of a high-end poison. Which ended up killing her."

"What?!" Motoyasu snaps, "Miria was killed?! There's no way she's right here, wounded, yes, but very much alive."

"That's because I got her to a healer, who was able to revive her." he tells them,

"However, she is in no condition to be pushing herself. She was only revived a day or

two ago, and that's everything you've missed."